African travellers are showing strong interest in digital technologies that could make air travel more convenient, but complex immigration procedures and the cost of obtaining travel authorisations continue to discourage many from visiting international destinations, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) 2026 Global Passenger Survey.
The survey identifies Africa as the region where passengers are most likely to have been discouraged from travelling to a destination because of immigration requirements, highlighting the continued influence of visa processes and border-entry regulations on travel decisions across the continent.
Among African passengers deterred by entry requirements, the complexity of the process emerged as the leading concern, followed by cost. The findings point to the practical difficulties travellers encounter when navigating visa applications, documentation requirements and other procedures before embarking on international journeys.
The results come as passengers globally increasingly embrace technology to simplify travel. IATA’s survey found that 86 per cent of respondents were willing to share immigration information digitally before departure to speed up processing, while 60 per cent preferred applying for visas online rather than visiting a consulate or embassy.
For African travellers, the appetite for digital solutions appears particularly strong. Although biometric adoption remains among the lowest across the regions surveyed, interest in digital travel solutions is one of the highest. This suggests that passengers are receptive to technology that could reduce administrative hurdles, improve airport processing and make international travel more accessible.
The contrast between relatively low biometric usage and strong interest in digital travel credentials also highlights an opportunity for airlines, airports and governments across Africa to accelerate the adoption of more integrated digital systems.
Biometric identification is increasingly being used at airports to streamline passenger processing by allowing travellers to verify their identities without repeatedly presenting physical travel documents. Globally, 58 per cent of passengers said they had experienced biometrics during their airport journey in the past year, compared with 50 per cent in 2025. Of those who had used the technology, 87 per cent expressed satisfaction with the experience.
The survey also found that 78 per cent of passengers globally would be willing to share their biometric information if it meant avoiding repeated presentation of passports or boarding passes at airport checkpoints. Meanwhile, 84 per cent expressed interest in using digital passports for online check-in.
For African aviation, the potential benefits extend beyond shorter queues at airports. Greater adoption of secure digital identity systems could help simplify passenger verification, improve the exchange of travel information between airlines and border authorities, and reduce some of the administrative challenges associated with international journeys.
However, the survey suggests that technology alone will not resolve the barriers facing African travellers. The complexity and cost of immigration procedures remain significant concerns, meaning that improvements in digital infrastructure must be accompanied by more accessible and efficient visa processes.
IATA Senior Vice President for Operations, Safety and Security, Nick Careen, said passengers were increasingly embracing technology to make travel easier but continued to face difficulties arising from complex immigration and visa requirements.
He urged governments to simplify entry procedures, eliminate duplicate checks and accelerate the issuance and acceptance of secure digital travel credentials.
The findings also reveal growing use of artificial intelligence in travel planning. Nearly half of passengers globally, representing 49 per cent, said they had used AI to plan a trip. The most common application was searching for flights to a specific destination, followed by finding cheaper fares and discovering new places to visit.
Although the survey does not establish how widely African travellers are using AI for these purposes, the global trend points to a changing travel-planning environment in which digital platforms increasingly influence destination choices, fare comparisons and booking decisions.
For African destinations seeking to attract more international visitors, the findings underline the importance of making entry procedures straightforward and accessible. Lengthy or complicated visa processes could discourage potential visitors before they even begin their journeys, while efficient digital systems could improve the overall travel experience.
The survey ultimately presents a two-sided picture of Africa’s travel landscape: passengers are increasingly open to technology that can simplify their journeys, but immigration procedures continue to limit their ability and willingness to travel.
Addressing these challenges will require closer cooperation between governments, airlines and aviation stakeholders to ensure that digital innovation is matched by practical reforms to visa processing and border management.
