FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Africa’s Eden COMMISSIONS JLL & WTTC’S Tourism Readiness Index to Drive Investment and Sustainable Growth Across Southern Africa
Groundbreaking initiative, in collaboration with JLL and WTTC, aims to position Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe as competitive global tourism destinations
GABORONE, 3 DECEMBER 2024 – Africa’s Eden, a tourism association promoting sustainable travel across several Southern African countries, has partnered with global firm Jones Lang LaSalle’s (JLL) Global Tourism and Destination Advisory practice and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) to conduct the Tourism Readiness Index.
This project will offer an evaluation of the tourism potential of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, highlighting key opportunities for investment and development that will ensure long-term sustainability and resilience for the region’s tourism sector.
The Tourism Readiness Index will assess over 70 data points across the breadth of the tourism sector, including infrastructure development, environmental sustainability, safety and security, and policy prioritization. The project’s findings will provide insights that both the public and private sectors can use to enhance the region’s tourism offerings and competitiveness on the global stage. The Index has so far been applied to 200 global destinations, including countries, regions and cities.
JLL’s Head of Tourism Advisory for MEA, Bernadine Galliver, highlights that the Index was developed following two years of research and analysis by JLL’s Global Tourism and Destination Advisory practice and WTTC. “The Tourism Readiness Index, developed through two years of research by JLL and WTTC, offers a standardised global approach to destination assessment. It focuses on resilience and sustainability, moving beyond traditional rankings. The Index identifies common readiness traits across destination types and provides a roadmap for sustainable tourism growth.”
Jillian Blackbeard, CEO of Africa’s Eden, further explains that the project is designed to be a collaborative effort between governments and private sector stakeholders in the four countries.
Governments will benefit from detailed data and analysis that will help shape policy, guide infrastructure investments, and create an enabling environment for tourism growth. Meanwhile, the private sector, including tourism associations and businesses, will be empowered to use the index’s insights to identify high-potential investment areas, improve product offerings, and foster innovation.
Says Blackbeard: “Tourism is one of the most vital economic drivers for our member countries. This initiative is not only about evaluating where we are now, but about creating a roadmap for how we can grow and evolve to meet the needs of future travellers. By collaborating with JLL and WTTC, we are bringing international expertise to strengthen our local tourism industry and attract both regional and global investments.”
Government and private-sector involvement
The Tourism Readiness Index will provide governments with a detailed view of how their tourism sectors are performing and where improvements can be made. The index will also highlight areas such as transportation infrastructure, visa policies, and conservation efforts, helping governments prioritise initiatives that align with sustainable development goals and tourism growth.
In the private sector, businesses can leverage the data to better understand market demand, enhance their tourism products, and identify new opportunities for partnerships and expansion. The findings will be presented through a series of workshops and stakeholder meetings, providing a platform for constructive dialogue between public and private sectors to align on strategic priorities.
“To remain competitive in an evolving tourism landscape, destinations need to address critical gaps in infrastructure, connectivity, and sustainability. The Tourism Readiness Index is designed to help countries take a more data-driven approach to tourism development, ensuring they are well-prepared to meet future tourism demand and attract sustainable investments,” Blackbeard adds.
Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO said; “The joint research-based Index is designed to facilitate critical conversations between stakeholders. Our recent report on unlocking tourism growth for Africa showed that tourism’s economic contribution to the continent could increase by an additional US$50 billion by 2033 through improvements to the enabling environment, visa policies and destination marketing.”
Next steps
The Tourism Readiness Index is expected to be completed by mid-2025. A report will be released to government officials, tourism associations, and business leaders, followed by a series of regional webinars and workshops to present the findings and discuss actionable next steps.
“We will leverage the insights from the index to not only enhance our members’ competitiveness and to advocate for long-term, sustainable tourism development across the region. Further details on how to participate will be shared soon,” Blackbeard concludes.
Ends
For media enquiries, please contact:
Kim Barnett (Africa’s Eden) at kimb@africaseden.travel.
About Africa’s Eden
Africa’s Eden Tourism is a leading organisation committed to promoting tourism and advancing tourism leadership across Southern and Central Africa. Representing the eclectic regions of Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar, the organisation prioritises sustainable practices, community engagement, and cooperative growth.
As a not-for-profit entity, Africa’s Eden offers tourism businesses exceptional opportunities for partnership, visibility, and influence, shaping the future of travel in these remarkable destinations. Its mission is to showcase the breathtaking natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and distinctive experiences that position the region as a top choice for travellers around the world.
About JLL
For over 200 years, JLL (NYSE: JLL), a leading global commercial real estate and investment management company, has helped clients buy, build, occupy, manage and invest in a variety of commercial, industrial, hotel, residential and retail properties. A Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of $20.8 billion and operations in over 80 countries around the world, our more than 108,000 employees bring the power of a global platform combined with local expertise. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAY℠. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com.
About JLL MEA
Across the Middle East and Africa (MEA) JLL is a leading player in the real estate and hospitality services markets. The firm has worked in 35 countries across the region and employs over 1900 internationally qualified professionals across its offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Cairo, Casablanca, Cape Town, Johannesburg and Nairobi. jll.africa
About WTTC
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector. Members include 200 CEOs, Chairs and Presidents of the world’s leading Travel & Tourism companies from all geographies covering all industries. For more than 30 years, WTTC has been committed to maximising the inclusive and sustainable growth potential of the Travel & Tourism sector by partnering with governments, destinations, communities, and other stakeholders to drive economic development, create jobs, reduce poverty and foster peace, security, and understanding in our world. For more information, visit wttc.org
