Summary
Africa is the region most interested in developing new markets (30 per cent) and is one of the two regions (Asia Pacific is the other) where the greatest benefit from infrastructure improvement is to be found.
Overcapacity is the greatest concern (29 per cent) for respondents in the region and no one feels that this is an issue that has been resolved.
Investment opportunities
While the region is very interested in developing new markets, in this survey respondents report little interest in emerging markets such as India (one per cent) and no one for Australia and New Zealand.
As with other regions, investment in new assets is also regarded as an attractive option.
Funding
Africa, like other regions, cites pricing and liquidity/availability of money as its two greatest concerns.
Support for government guarantees is most popular in Africa, with 17 per cent of respondents backing the concept.
The next five years
Along with Asia Pacific and the Middle East, a significant number of Africa respondents anticipate increased joint venture/alliance/pool activity. There is very little expectation of an increase in the number of privatised operators (four per cent).
Twenty-two per cent of respondents put general regulatory controls as their number one concern, while emission controls are of negligible concern at two per cent.
A significant 36 per cent of Africa respondents – the highest among the regions – believe that high-capacity/ high-speed assets represent a natural and beneficial development, although, as with other regions, few believe that the operators of these assets will dominate the routes where they operate.
The region is much more optimistic about the outlook for fares and freight than it was in 2010, with 70 per cent anticipating a rise (up from 45 per cent in 2010) and a corresponding reduction in those expecting a fall (down to 14 per cent from 22 per cent in 2010). Similarly, just nine per cent of those surveyed believe there will be a fall in routes and services offered.
Africa respondents are now firmly in the middle ground when it comes to the question of whether they think investment funds will need to be redirected to running costs over the next five years, with greater numbers voting for ‘no change’.
Fuel price/economy holds the same concern as it does for most of the regions, but fuel availability is also a big challenge in the region, where it is the second greatest consideration (14 per cent).
