The perception of Africa is not as it was a decade ago. Today, Westerners who account for a majority of international tourists in the continent have fantastic tales to tell. It is against this backdrop that black owned travel companies in Africa exist. These firms owned by US-based citizens who, otherwise identify as African Americans is a testament that Africa is a cool place to be. A common denominator for these proprietors is that a visit to Africa changed everything they heard in the past about it. Additionally, it is an intriguing place to connect with their ancestry.
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Black Owned Travel Companies in Africa
Without further ado, here are four reputable black owned travel companies in Africa.
The Real Homes of Africa
RJ Mahdi and his wife Aliyah Mahdi left the US for Dakar, Senegal in 2014. Photo/Mahdi/FaceBook
RJ Mahdi and his wife Aliyah Mahdi left America in 2014 for Dakar, Senegal and nothing seems worthwhile for them to return to the US. The couple founded Made In Africa, which helps local businesses establish solid trade ties withthe diaspora. Moments after repatriating to Senegal from the US, Mahdi discovered that Senegal’s beauty is not told enough.
This birthed The Real Homes of Africa in 2014, a web docuseries telling all about the beauty of Senegal. Contrary to old mud huts they saw online before moving out to Dakar, the Mahdi’s were surprised by the glamourous Senegalese architecture. This is one of the many success stories she tells the world about. Made In Africa and The Real Homes in Africa are among the outgoing black owned travel companies in Africa.
Kumba Africa
Ayyoob Abrahams and Tapiwa Ndlovu founded Kumba Africa, a one-stop booking platform for Westerners travelling to Africa. Based in Philadelphia in the US, the duo launched the company in 2018 to address a travel booking gap in the market. Ndlovu is Zimbabwean American. “Kumba” is his native language at home. Ndlovu and Abrahams realised that there is a different way to travel to Africa and one of them could be through local experiences. They include lodges, international calling services, car rental, and insuring travellers all under a web platform. Through Kumba, local communities have benefitted through its referrals to travellers from Europe and the US.
Sleep in Africa
Fatimatou Diallo. Photo/Fatimatou Diallo/IG
Finding black-owned accommodation in Africa is easy, thanks to Paris-based Afro-French lady Fatimatou Diallo. She is the brains behind Sleep In Africa, an Instagram page linking travellers from the world over to these destinations. These accommodation facilities are in every part of Africa. The page has come a long way to become a voice promoting hotels, resorts and lodges in Africa.
She tells TravelNoire in an interview that the idea came about in 2018. It became clear then that arranging a trip anywhere else in the world required little effort. However, planning a trip to Africa was different because there wasn’t enough information available. After much deliberation, she decided to take action because she understood the underlying issue. Fatimatou Diallo didn’t know what to do, though but the idea of having a networking platform cropped up. That’s how she founded Instagram page, Sleep In Africa. It is yet another positive story about black owned travel companies in Africa.
Maximum Impact Travel Tours
Jae Cameron , a Black American entrepreneur in Africa. Photo/Jae Cameron/FB
Before his first visit to Ghana in 2018, Jae Cameron didn’t expect Africa to be this cool. It was surprising because all he had heard back home were negative stories about Africa and this surprise birthed Maximum Impact Travel Tours. Contrary to what he expected, Ghana blew his mind with its friendly people, peace and vibrant culture.
It is then that the Black American entrepreneur realized that Africa has a beautiful story to tell but there are no proper channels to do so. This challenge pushed him to start a company to help Black People explore their native heritage much better. Cameron had travelled to many other different places but not Africa, he tells Travenoire. In 2018, he made his maiden African visit to Ghana in West Africa. He expected chaotic scenes from reported political and civil turmoil. To his surprise, peace reigned in Accra, Ghana’s capital and beyond. After a few days in West Africa, Jae Cameron couldn’t string anything up to previous stories he had about Africa.
Conclusion
Black owned travel companies in Africa mirror the continent’s worth and beauty. They represent the untold truth about Africa, its friendly people and its vibrant culture.
