IATA downgrades traffic forecast for Africa, recovery to 2019 levels not expected until late 2023

IATA downgraded (21-Oct-2020) its 2020 traffic forecast for Africa to reflect a weaker than expected recovery. Details include:

• Full year passenger numbers to, from and within Africa are now expected to reach only 30% of 2019 levels, down from 45% as projected in Jul-2020;
• Africa is expected to record 45 million travellers in 2020, down from 155 million in 2019;
• Forward bookings for 4Q2020 show that recovery continues to falter. Domestic travel is picking up as countries reopen their borders, but international travel remains constrained as major markets, including the EU, remain closed to citizens of African nations. Only residents of Rwanda and Tunisia are currently permitted to enter the EU;
• Demand is expected to strengthen to 45% of 2019 levels in 2021, reaching nearly 70 million travellers;
• A full return to 2019 traffic levels is not expected until late 2023. [more - original PR]