Aviation & Tourism: Clear Skies or Turbulence Ahead?

Orville and Wilbur Wright, commonly known as The Wright brothers, were two American inventors who arguably pioneered the aviation industry by inventing and flying the world’s first airplane in 1903. Although the first flight only lasted twelve seconds, the vision of the Wright brothers and other inventors inspired and developed an industry that would take transportation to unprecedented heights. Aviation is one of the fastest growing sectors, particularly on the African continent. The Air Transport Action Group (ATAG) lists aviation as being responsible for close to 63 million jobs globally in 2014, directly contributing $2.7 trillion to the world GDP. In 2015, airlines around the world carried nearly 3.6 billion passengers. Economic benefits of aviation not only include employment, but a plethora of industries: world trade, manufacturing companies, commercial aircraft operators, airports, air navigation service providers and sustainability of other economic sectors. Air transport is essential for tourism in Africa. With 54% of international tourists travelling by air, it encourages economic investment, improving innovation and efficiency in business and international cooperation. Many remote areas are still inaccessible by rail or road and can only be accessed by air, making it a vital lifeline to regions for tourism revenue and essential supplies like healthcare. ATAG announced, “In 2034, there will be over 5.8 billion global passengers and aviation will support 99 million jobs, or $5.9 trillion in economic activity. However, if growth were to slow by just 1%, the total number of jobs supported by the air transport sector (including tourism)…

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