Welcome to the MICE Africa daily read for MICE Professionals doing business in Africa.
In today’s topics;
- Kenya gears up for a major tourism expo in 2025
- Uganda Airlines launches direct flights to London
- Visa-AFRAA report flags payment woes in African aviation
Magical Kenya Expo 2025: 6,500+ Delegates, Sustainable Tourism
Kenya is set to host the 15th edition of the Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) from October 1st to 3rd, 2025 at Nairobi’s Uhuru Gardens.
This year’s event will bring together over 6,500 delegates from 40 countries, including 200 international buyers and 400 exhibitors. Themed “Sustainable Tourism Growth: Unlocking Africa’s Potential,” the expo highlights Kenya’s strategic goal of attracting 5.5 million visitors by 2027 while positioning tourism as a unifying economic force for the continent.
The integration of the Africa Tourism Investment Forum (ATIF) underlines a shift toward deeper collaboration between public and private sectors, with a clear emphasis on regional connectivity. With Africa accounting for 40.8% of Kenya’s international arrivals in 2024, the focus on intra-African partnerships is more than a trend — it’s a necessity.
MKTE 2025 will also feature improved digital tools for better networking and a sustainability framework to ensure responsible event management. Organisers are prioritising meaningful business exchanges, guided by technology and environmental mindfulness, signaling a mature and forward-thinking approach to Africa’s tourism future.
Uganda Airlines has officially launched its first direct flight to London Heathrow, marking a milestone moment for the country’s aviation ambitions.
The inaugural flight departed Entebbe on May 18th, introducing a seamless connection between Uganda and the United Kingdom with four weekly departures. This route is expected to strengthen bilateral ties while opening fresh avenues for trade, tourism, and cultural exchange.
CEO Jennifer Bamuturaki and leaders from the British High Commission in Kampala have welcomed the new service as both a commercial opportunity and a symbol of national progress. It’s the airline’s boldest international step since its 2019 revival, after an 18-year hiatus that began with its 2001 closure.
In true Ugandan fashion, passengers are treated to local cuisine onboard, curated by Newrest Uganda Inflight Services, offering a taste of home at cruising altitude. More than just a logistical upgrade, this route is being celebrated as an important stride in connecting Uganda to the world—on its own terms.
African Airlines: Outdated Payments Hamper Growth, Visa & AFRAA Report Finds
A new report by Visa and the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) sheds light on a critical issue holding back the continent’s airline sector—outdated payment systems.
Despite growing demand and market potential, many African carriers are grappling with inefficient payment infrastructure that results in revenue loss, poor customer experiences, and increased operational strain. The study assessed payment maturity across infrastructure, fraud controls, customer experience, and process integration, revealing that while airlines met basic requirements, deep optimization is still absent.
Key challenges include a focus on ticking compliance boxes rather than embracing modernization, poor deployment of digital tools, weak fraud management, and failure to leverage payment data strategically. These gaps not only expose airlines to financial risk but also limit their capacity to meet rising customer expectations in an increasingly digital world.
Visa and AFRAA are stepping in with targeted support—whitepapers, presentations, and workshops—to guide airlines through much-needed updates. They stress that payment systems must be viewed as a strategic priority. The modernization of these systems is essential not just for efficiency, but for survival in a fast-changing digital economy.
That’s it for today.