Jumia Travel Revives Business in Sudan Following Uplifting of Sanctions by the US

Jumia Travel, an online hotel portal which enlists more than 30,000 hotels across the continent is set to revive its business in Sudan.

This move comes following news of the revocation of economic sanctions against Africa’s third largest country.

The sanctions relief comes as a go-ahead to tapping key trade and investment opportunities in Sudan, across industries such as finance, agriculture, mining, and tourism; with companies such as Jumia Travel now planning to revive business with hotel partners in the country.

According to Jumia Travels’ country Manager Kenya Cyrus Onyiego, the sanctions had largely affected their business in Sudan, adding that they the firm being in the travel industry even felt more punch.

“With an already promising growth in tourism, we are happy to explore the massive business potential that lies in the sector,” added Cyrus Onyiego.

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council’s (WTTC) report on Travel & Tourism Global Economic Impact and Issues 2017, Sudan’s tourism sector has registered impressive growth in the past 6 years, with an annual average growth of 49.8 percent in visitor exports. This, besides directly supporting 1.8 percent of total employment (193,000 jobs) in 2016, and an expected increase of the same by 5.7 percent in 2017.

Onyiego further notes that reviving Sudan-bound bookings on the online platform will provide increased visibility of the properties, resulting in added growth in revenues.

“We believe by so doing it will go a long way in contributing to the employment rate in Sudan, as well as to the growth of the country’s economy which is on its road to recovery,” said Onyiego.

Sudan’s sanctions date back to the 1990’s after the country was accused of hosting Osama Bin Laden, sympathizing with terrorists as well as supporting terrorist activities. The issuing of an executive order by Obama to lift the bans on a probational case during his last days in office paved the path to restoration which has finally culminated to the clearance.

With a naturally endowed ecosystem, defined culture and heritage; presently spotting a list of five tentative World Heritage Site, Sudan has an abundance of tourist attractions and unadulterated experiences which if tapped will be an invaluable source of revenue to the country.