Protectionist flight rules holding back SADC tourism

Protectionist aviation policies are limiting tourism growth within the Southern African Development Community (SADC), despite the region’s strong potential and demand. SADC is home to around 300 million people, yet fewer than 8 million travel by air each year—highlighting an untapped opportunity hindered by restrictive air access rules.

By Rebecca Campbell – Engineering News

At a recent SADC Tourism Alliance symposium, speakers warned that fragmented governance, siloed policymaking and political gatekeeping are holding back intra-regional travel. One example cited was the Johannesburg–Harare route, where airfares dropped by nearly 50% when a local airline entered the market—yet political barriers prevented further expansion.

Tourism leaders have urged SADC governments to remove protectionist measures, improve regional airline capacity, view air connectivity as critical infrastructure, and adopt a shared scorecard to track progress in opening up the skies.