(Breaking Travel News) – Africa is leading the world in mobile commerce with the travel industry at the forefront of the movement, reveals the WTM Global Trends Report released today (Monday 7 November) at World Travel Market.
The report, in association with Euromonitor International, reveals Africa is leading the world in mobile commerce. This is due to the mobile boom in Africa with 489 million mobile phone users, with 60% using their phones to purchase goods.
African telecoms companies are working with the continent’s major airlines, including Kenya Airways to target the 230 million “unbanked” population. The M-PESA payment system, which launched in 2007 by Safaricom, an affiliate of Vodaphone, is now an established way for Africans without bank accounts to buy goods and services – including travel – using their mobile.
In 2010, airlines such as Kenya Airways and Uganda Airlines joined M-PESA and Airtel Money to enable consumers without a bank account to buy air tickets.