African
American Market
Introduction

David J. Saunders
articles
African American Market
Ambassadors
of Tourism
USA and Africa
Franchising
for Africans

Africa Travel Map


African American Travel Conference, Louisville, Kentucky, March 28-30

African Americans: Africa's Tourism Mega Market in the Americas


by Jerry W. Bird

The longer our magazine remains on the cutting edge of travel to Africa from the USA, Canada and the Caribbean, the more myself and colleagues appreciate how vital the African American Market is to our success as the Africa Travel Association's official magazine. David J. Saunders, ATA's membership Chairman based in Washington, DC expands on this timely topics, but first let me begin by getting personal. It's a real eye opener, heart warmer and soul lifter to visit Africa several times each year with my many African Americans friends. What joy to share the thrill as they discover their historic roots, explore exciting new tourism destinations and enter an ever-expanding world of business, investment and networking opportunities. The fact that most of our readers and web site visitors are Travel Agents and Tourism Professionals is a huge plus.

This means that the more they get to know about Africa through our magazine and web site, annual congresses, ecotourism symposia, ATA chapter seminars and events, the greater Africa Travel Magazine's reach and influence will be. One active, effective travel agent can represent several thousand consumers -- that's what an influential readership means. A key indicator is the popularity of Africa Travel Magazine Online (www.africa-ata.org) with page views soaring every month. Combined with our print circulation, the mail boxes are overflowing. It's truly a win, win situation.

Did you know?

The African American population in the USA at last count was 34,658,190 representing over 12.3 % of the total.
Almost half (43%) are homeowners, and nearly one quarter (23%) hold Bachelor's degrees or higher from US. Universities. As consumers, African Americans spend over $500 billion annually, or an average per household of $23,442. Their purchases will include around $33 billion on new automobiles and close to $4 billion on consumer electronics.
African Americans are no longer rural; 85% live in urban centers, mostly the top 20 metro areas. The African American median age is 30, some 6 years younger than the total US population.
Source: US Census
.
E-mail for more background on Black Buying Power in the USA.

 

Marketing Travel in the New Millennium
The African American Mega Market

“Like a great book has many "chapters" -- some large, some small, local chapters are the heart and soul of ATA. African Americans are the backbone of our chapters in the USA.” Jerry W. Bird, Editor (see below)

Black or African-American Population for USA

United States 34,658,190 (12.3%)

Northeast 6,099,881 11.4%

Midwest 6,499,733 10.1%

South 18,981,692 18.9%

West 3,076,884 4.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000.\

African American Buying Power

According to The U.S. African American Market, a new research report published by Packaged Facts, the buying power of African Americans in the United States is expected to increase nearly 30% to $682 billion in the next 5 years. The report states that in the African American population there are 14.1% more women than men, and nearly half of the households within this demographic are headed by women, giving females a far more prominent role in consumer decisions than women in other ethnic population segments. In addition, there are 3.7 million affluent African Americans who are projected to have a combined buying power of $292.4 billion by 2006.

"Marketers have identified significant successes in targeting both the female and affluent segments of the African American population," said Meg Hargreaves, VP of Research Publishing for MarketResearch.com. "Luxury car makers and food and beverage manufacturers alike have focused their efforts on these market segments given the overwhelming influence they have in the market as a whole." http://www.marketresearch.com/corporate/aboutus/Press

US CENUS STATISTICS ON AFRICAN AMERICANS
http://www.lenzine.com/census/index.php

Organization of Africans in the Americas (OAA)
Description on :
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/6876/
Write: 1234 Mass Ave, NW, Suite C-1007
Washington, DC 20005, Tel: 202-638-1662
Fax: 202-638-1667