Zambia Wins Bid to Host AviaDev Africa 2027 Amid Push for Greater Air Connectivity
LUSAKA – Zambia has secured the rights to host AviaDev Africa 2027, a major aviation route development conference, as the country seeks to attract new international air services and strengthen its position within Africa’s growing aviation market.
The announcement was made by AviaDev Africa and Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL), which will host the event in Lusaka.
The conference comes as Zambia launches the Airlift Zambia Initiative, a programme that ZACL says is aimed at attracting additional airlines, expanding route networks and improving connectivity with key international markets.
The event comes at a time when African governments, airlines and airport operators are seeking to address one of the continent’s longstanding economic challenges: limited air connectivity.
Industry data shows that while Africa accounts for nearly a fifth of the world’s population, it represents only a small share of global air transport activity, highlighting the scale of the continent’s aviation growth opportunity. Aviation industry bodies have consistently argued that greater connectivity could stimulate trade, tourism, investment and job creation across Africa.
Although connectivity across the continent has improved since the pandemic, many African city pairs remain underserved, often requiring passengers to make indirect journeys through regional hubs to reach destinations elsewhere on the continent. Industry stakeholders say improving route connectivity remains critical to unlocking economic opportunities and strengthening regional integration.
Against this backdrop, Zambia is positioning itself as a gateway in Southern Africa.
According to ZACL, the Airlift Zambia Initiative is intended to close connectivity gaps and support the development of direct long-haul services to Europe, the Gulf, Asia and North America.
The corporation said recent progress includes the launch of services into Zambia by Qatar Airways, Uganda Airlines, Fastjet Zimbabwe and Eswatini Air. Local carrier Proflight Zambia has also expanded regional operations, introducing routes linking Lusaka and Livingstone with Windhoek, Namibia, and Gaborone, Botswana.
Improved air connectivity is widely viewed as an important enabler of tourism growth, trade and foreign investment, particularly for land-linked economies such as Zambia where access to international markets depends heavily on aviation networks.
ZACL manages four international airports: Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka, Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone, Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe International Airport in Ndola and Mfuwe Airport.
The corporation said the Airlift Zambia Initiative will utilise all four airports to support tourism and economic activity, with Livingstone and Mfuwe expected to play an important role in expanding access to Zambia’s tourism sector.
According to figures cited by ZACL, international tourist arrivals increased from approximately 1.1 million in 2022 to 2.3 million in 2025. The government is targeting between 2.5 million and 3 million international visitors in 2026 as part of broader plans to grow tourism into a US$1 billion industry by 2031.
ZACL said government has allocated K1.5 billion to tourism development in 2026, supporting infrastructure projects, destination marketing, wildlife conservation and the development of new tourism sites.
Tourism currently contributes about seven percent of Zambia’s Gross Domestic Product and supports approximately 473,000 jobs, according to figures released by ZACL.
The corporation said key tourism source markets include Germany, the United Kingdom, North America, South Africa, India, China and the Gulf states.
Commenting on the announcement, ZACL Managing Director Urvesh Desai said hosting AviaDev Africa would allow Zambia to engage directly with airline executives and route planners.
“Zambia is at a crucial moment in its aviation story. We have the infrastructure, the ambition and the government support; what we need now is for the world’s airlines to see for themselves why Zambia deserves a place on their network maps,” Desai said.
Desai said Zambia’s central location in Southern Africa and growing airport infrastructure created opportunities for new regional and international routes.
“Every new route we secure is a lifeline for our tourism sector, a boost for Zambia’s exporters and a statement of confidence in this country’s future,” he said.
AviaDev Africa Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jon Howell said Zambia’s tourism growth had outpaced improvements in air connectivity.
“The growth in visitor numbers has been extraordinary, and yet the country is still dramatically under-connected by air relative to its potential,” Howell said.
“That gap is an opportunity, and it is precisely the kind of opportunity our delegates are here to unlock.”
Howell said Zambia’s bid demonstrated both strategic vision and a commitment to aviation development.
Previous editions of AviaDev Africa have been hosted in Windhoek, Zanzibar and Botswana. The conference brings together airlines, airports, tourism authorities, investors and government officials to discuss route development opportunities and connectivity strategies.
For Zambia, hosting the event provides an opportunity to present its aviation and tourism investment case directly to airline decision-makers at a time when competition for new routes across Africa is intensifying.
The conference is also expected to draw attention to Zambia’s wider tourism offering, including Victoria Falls and the South Luangwa, Kafue and Lower Zambezi national parks, while supporting efforts to attract additional air services and strengthen regional connectivity.
