Last year, I embarked on a journey to transform my company purposefully, deliberately, and intentionally to provide inclusive travel in Africa. We had been operational in Kenya and had successfully run multi-country events for LGBTQ+ organizations working in Eastern and Southern Africa. We realized that while there were cultural, legal and social challenges in the work we do, if we could do it in Kenya then the same could happen across Africa with the right connections and partnerships.
This fellowship was about visibility, contribution, and progression. In 2025, I attended WTM Africa as a trade visitor to better understand the landscape. In 2026, I returned as a fellowship recipient and speaker in the EQUAL Africa Pathways to Impact session, contributing to discussions shaping the future of inclusive tourism on the continent. This shift reflects what becomes possible when African voices are consistently supported and given the space to grow. For me, the fellowship represented:
- Recognition of African-led work in inclusive tourism
- Validation of lived experience and professional contribution
- A platform to connect advocacy with industry practice
- A reminder that inclusion must be both visible and operational
Key Contributions & Discussions
During the conference, I focused on building inclusive tourism pathways across Africa, particularly in relation to LGBTQ+ travel and diverse traveler experiences.
Key themes I addressed included:
- The lived realities of LGBTQ+ travelers in African destinations
- The importance of safety, discretion, and trusted local knowledge
- Inclusion as both a human rights and economic development priorities
- The gap between global DEI language and on-the-ground implementation
The message I emphasized was that inclusion cannot remain a narrative. As queer entrepreneurs and organizations, we must be intentional about building ecosystems with allies and service providers to curate inclusive, safe and affirming spaces across Africa.
Positive Signals from the Industry
Growing Awareness: Stakeholders are beginning to understand diversity, equity, and inclusion as core business considerations not optional values.
Openness to African Voices: African professionals are being recognized as essential contributors to global tourism conversations, particularly where local context matters. Our lived realities and understanding of the region matters in shaping the future of travel inbound to Africa and in particular queer travel where customs, culture, legality and social norms keep shifting.
Willingness to Engage: There is genuine curiosity and openness to better understand inclusive travel needs.
Gaps That Still Need Attention
Underrepresentation of African LGBTQ+ Voices: African-based inclusive tourism professionals are still not consistently present in decision-making, panels, and leadership spaces. There were a lot of conversation on inclusivity but few included queer voices and it was notable that only segments that were run by IGLTA were actively putting queer travelers at the center of the conversations
Inclusion Often Remains Theoretical: Many discussions around queer travel remain at concept level, with limited translation into policy, procurement, or operational standards.
Limited Africa-Specific Data: There is still insufficient research on LGBTQ+ travel patterns, risks, and opportunities within African destinations. Information sharing is limited to private spaces including guidance on inclusive service providers and properties.
SME Exclusion from Mainstream Systems: Many inclusive tourism solutions are being led by small businesses that lack access to funding, visibility, and global distribution and collaboration networks.
What Comes Next: Turning Dialogue into Action
The momentum created at WTM Africa presents a clear opportunity to deepen impact in the following areas:
- Strengthening Inclusion Infrastructure: Moving beyond conversations into measurable actions in policies, supplier frameworks, and accountability systems within tourism organizations.
- Expanding African Participation: Creating more structured pathways for African LGBTQ+ tourism professionals, entrepreneurs, and advocates to participate in global platforms.
- Building Safe and Practical Travel Solutions: Working together with the larger queer sphere to develop trusted, locally informed travel experiences that reflect real safety considerations and traveler needs.
- Advancing Research and Visibility: Supporting data-driven advocacy that strengthens the case for inclusive tourism investment in Africa.
- Convening in Africa as Queer Travel Advocates: Supporting queer travel professionals by convening in Africa.
- Strengthening Cross-Sector Collaboration: Encouraging partnerships between tourism boards, private sector actors, and advocacy organizations that move inclusion from theory to implementation.
This year at WTM Africa felt like a turning point. Last year, I came to observe. This year, I came to contribute.
That progression is not only personal it reflects what becomes possible when African voices are consistently included in industry spaces. It also reinforces a simple but important truth: inclusive tourism in Africa is not emerging in theory, it is already being built in practice by people on the ground.
The experience reaffirmed that Africa queer voices matter and that the future of inclusive travel in Africa will be shaped by collaboration, not isolation. Inclusion must be operational, not symbolic; we must turn tolerance to inclusivity
The question now is not whether inclusive tourism in Africa will grow but how intentionally we choose to build it.
About the Author
Vivian Kobe (she/her) is the founder and managing director of VIBA Explore Tours, and the 2026 IGLTA Foundation EQUAL Africa Fellowship recipient. Based in East Africa, Vivian specializes in destination management and MICE, designing authentic travel programs for international operators and LGBTQ+ groups. Her work focuses on creating safe, respectful experiences through strong local partnerships and regional knowledge.