A record 178 international tourism buyers from 40 countries attended Essence of Africa 2026 in Zanzibar, 133 of them for the first time. Over three days at Diamonds Bijoux, from 20 to 22 October, they met 162 African exhibiting companies in scheduled business meetings.
Buyer numbers were up 13% and exhibitor numbers up 8% on last year, when the forum was held in Malindi.
“The calibre of buyers is what makes Essence of Africa valuable to exhibitors,” said Amanda Margison, co-founder of Essence of Africa. “Every buyer is pre-qualified based on the destinations, experiences and standard of product their clients are looking for. We want African tourism businesses meeting international buyers who are in a position to sell what they offer.”
The international buyer delegation represented a mix of established and developing source markets for African tourism. Europe accounted for 39% of buyers, followed by the Americas (23%), Asia-Pacific (19%) and Africa (18%), with a small delegation from the Middle East. The USA, India, South Africa, China, Poland, France, Mexico, Germany and Brazil were among the most strongly represented countries.
The 162 exhibitors represented a range of African tourism businesses, with accommodation providers accounting for 61% and destination management companies and tour operators a further 25%. Experience providers, transport companies and tourism organisations were also represented. East African businesses made up 79% of exhibitors, reflecting strong participation from the host region.
What International Buyers Want from African Suppliers
In five regional Market Buzz sessions, international buyers told exhibitors what is changing in their source markets. Among the findings this year was evidence that some assumptions about international travellers need revisiting. Chinese buyers reported growing interest in smaller groups, longer stays and experiences involving local communities. Australian buyers pointed to another shift, with concerns about overcrowding at popular wildlife sightings beginning to influence booking decisions.
Buyers stressed the importance of adapting products to individual markets. Italian-speaking guides remain important for Italian travellers, while Indian buyers highlighted vegetarian catering, transparent park fees and flexible cancellation terms. Conservation remained an important consideration, although buyers cautioned that environmental credentials alone would not necessarily justify a higher price.
Supplier responsiveness was another recurring concern. Buyers said slow replies and incomplete quotations could cost businesses bookings, even when their products were otherwise attractive. Communication preferences also differed between markets, with Chinese agents favouring WeChat and UAE agents expecting prompt responses through WhatsApp.
The growing African travel market was identified as an opportunity that deserves greater attention from tourism businesses. Buyers called for products designed around African travellers’ preferences and quotations in their own currencies, which they said makes customers feel valued. They also questioned why African travellers are so often treated as a secondary market to international visitors. High regional airfares and visa requirements remain obstacles, but buyers argued that the industry itself could do more to attract customers from within the continent.
The Middle East session challenged another familiar assumption. Alongside traditional luxury travel, panellists reported growing interest from groups of women travelling together, younger visitors seeking adventure and wellness holidays, and expatriates living in the Gulf. Catering for Muslim travellers goes well beyond halal food. Spas can tell guests what their treatments contain, hotel boutiques can stock modest swimwear, and women need access to prayer facilities, which even in predominantly Muslim destinations are often designed for men. Zanzibar is working towards a halal certification framework, but panellists stressed that observance varies, and operators should ask each guest what they need.
Other opportunities identified during the discussions included Poland’s incentive travel market and leisure itineraries linked to international conferences.
Taking International Buyers into African Destinations
Taking the forum to a different African destination each year allows international buyers to experience places they may be less familiar with, while introducing host destinations and their tourism businesses to potential trade partners.
Virginia Messina, Group CEO of ATTA®, hosted the Destination Zanzibar session, sponsored by Profitroom, with Hakeem Kimara of the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism, Omar Mussa Omar of the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority and Chris Nader of ENVI Lodges. The panel discussed investment, regulation and responsible growth across the archipelago, and the Commission encouraged buyers to look beyond its established beach tourism offering. Kimara made the case for Pemba, where the authorities are seeking to attract greater tourism interest.
“Unguja is the Zanzibar we know, and Pemba is the Zanzibar we need to discover,” he told delegates.
Two further sessions introduced buyers to Zanzibar businesses that supply the hospitality sector and host visitors. In a session sponsored by SiteMinder, The Kanga Project, Mamas of Zanzibar and Mwani Zanzibar spoke about their work in traditional crafts, food tourism and seaweed farming. Beyond the Baseline: Zanzibar’s Positive Impact Pioneers was sponsored by ResRequest and moderated by Joy Mbatau of The Long Run. It featured Blue Impact Network, CHAKO, Chumbe Island Coral Park and Msonge Organic Family Farm, covering marine conservation, waste reduction and local sourcing.
“One of the opportunities for African destinations is to bring more local businesses into the tourism economy,” said Chris Mears, co-founder of Essence of Africa. “In Zanzibar, we heard from people who have built visitor experiences around activities that are already part of island life, from cooking to seaweed farming. These are businesses with something distinctive to offer, and the international travel trade has an important role in helping them reach customers.”
Working with its destination partners, Essence of Africa arranged 14 familiarisation itineraries for 77 international buyers ahead of the forum, from 17 to 19 October. The trips took buyers to Stone Town, spice farms, Jozani Forest, Chumbe Island and local enterprises, introducing them to experiences they could include in future itineraries for their clients.
Sports tourism also featured at the forum, with delegates taking part in a 5km beach walk and 10km run on 21 October in partnership with Uganda’s Rwenzori Marathon. Led by marathon founder and Essence of Africa Advisory Panel member Amos Wekesa, the event drew attention to opportunities for African tour operators to develop packages around sporting events, including holidays that combine race participation with safaris and other experiences. With Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda preparing to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, sports tourism is a timely market for the region to explore.
“Every edition adds another destination to the network we’re building between Africa and its source markets. Nairobi, Malindi and now Zanzibar have each opened their doors to the international trade, and the relationships carry on long after the show. We’re grateful to Diamonds Bijoux, a Planhotel Hospitality Group property, and to all our partners for making this edition possible,” concluded Amanda Margison.
Essence of Africa will return in 2027, with dates and the host destination to be announced.
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