I have always been fascinated by the enormous potential on the African continent – culturally, economically, and socially. As the founder of the initiative Voice4Africa, which advocates for a more differentiated and contemporary image of Africa in tourism, I see every day how much potential exists in African countries – but also how often this potential is overlooked or not sustainably supported. That’s why it was a logical step for me to get involved with RTA as well, since both platforms pursue the goal of amplifying African voices and promoting new partnerships on equal footing.
Professionally, I have been advising various African countries, hotels, and airlines in strategic tourism marketing for many years. This work has not only given me deep insights into the continent’s potential but also created personal relationships and a large network, which I now bring into my engagement. I firmly believe that through communication, investment, and exchange, we can achieve much more together for a partnership-based future between Europe and Africa.
What goals are you pursuing with your work at RTA, and what do you hope to achieve in the long term through your involvement?
Through my involvement with RTA, I aim to provide concrete impetus for stronger economic cooperation with the African continent – particularly in the area of sustainable tourism development. As a representative of the travel industry, I contribute my experience specifically to drive investments into African destinations, open up new travel locations on the continent, and increase their visibility in the European market. This creates important jobs, especially in rural areas that can benefit directly from tourism.
In the long term, I hope our work at RTA helps to overcome outdated narratives about Africa. By focusing on opportunities rather than deficiencies, the image of Africa here at home can shift to one of a future-oriented continent full of innovation, cultural diversity, and entrepreneurial dynamism. I advocate for African entrepreneurs to gain more visibility and access to international markets, and for German companies to invest more in Africa’s future markets – with respect, transparency, and cultural understanding.
How do you assess the current economic, social, or political developments on the African continent, and what opportunities and challenges do you see?
Africa is a continent in transition. Many countries are experiencing strong economic growth, have young, dynamic populations, and are increasingly digitalizing. At the same time, numerous regions face major challenges – for example, in infrastructure, education, or access to water and energy.
This is precisely where tourism can act as a catalyst: In many African countries, lodges and hotels are developing innovative, sustainable solutions – such as autonomous energy supply using solar power, greywater recycling for water reuse, or construction with local materials. These approaches emerge directly on site – out of necessity – and impressively show how local actors find their own answers to global challenges.
This is encouraging and shows: Those who understand Africa as a partner today are investing in the future.
How do you see the role of initiatives like RTA in promoting sustainable growth and development in Africa, and what areas do you think should be prioritized?
With RTA, we can build bridges between African entrepreneurs and international markets, foster trust, and promote fair conditions. Especially important to me are the topics of local value creation, knowledge exchange, entrepreneurial support, and infrastructure development.
From my perspective, infrastructure development even comes first. Without functioning roads, energy supply, water management, and digital networks, sustainable development cannot succeed. Infrastructure is the foundation for everything else, including social stability. At the same time, infrastructure creates access to education, healthcare, and entrepreneurship – it is the cornerstone of equal opportunity and regional development.
When regions are accessible and reliably supplied, new travel destinations can be developed there in collaboration with the local population and become economically viable. This brings us back to the tourism sector, which I, of course, view as particularly important due to my background. If approached sustainably, tourism can be a powerful lever for employment, local value creation, and social cohesion. Tourism creates jobs along the entire value chain – in agriculture, crafts, transport, gastronomy, and hospitality.
It is especially noteworthy that well over half of the jobs in the African tourism sector are held by women. Young people also benefit significantly, especially in rural areas where there are often few alternatives. Tourism is one of the few sectors that can combine growth with cultural exchange, environmental awareness, and social responsibility.
Another key area must be education. Sustainable development requires knowledge, qualifications, and a sense of agency. We need training programs in hospitality, tourism management, sustainability, digitalization, and entrepreneurship. Here, too, RTA can help build bridges – between African educational institutions, the private sector, and international partners.
This way, a real engine for development can emerge: locally driven and economically viable. Through investments in the areas mentioned, not only do new perspectives arise on the ground, but also a new image of Africa as a continent of opportunity. An image we urgently need to redraw in Europe.
