The future of tourism in Africa holds great
potential, but its expansion and development depends on better transport
infrastructure - including airline connections, roads and railways - in
addition to open borders, and improved marketing to niche sectors such
as adventure and eco-travellers.
The potential of Africa's tourism is untapped, writes Mthuli Ncube,
African Development Bank Group Vice-President and Chief Economist, in
the foreword of the inaugural issue of the Africa Tourism Monitor, a
joint initiative produced by the African Development Bank in partnership
with the Africa Travel Association and Africa House at NYU.
"While Africa accounts for 15% of the world population, it receives
only about 3% of world tourism," writes Ncube. "To maximize Africa's
tourism potential, critical investments are needed in key infrastructure
sectors (e.g. transport, energy, water and telecommunications)."
Africa is home to some of the fastest-growing economies, and revenues
from tourism in Africa already represent more than double the amount of
donor aid. Tremendous opportunities exist to further expand tourism
across the African continent, yet challenges remain. The need for solid
infrastructure, in the form of good roads and transportation corridors,
for better airline connections, and fewer visas to cross African borders
are just a few of the reasons Africa's tourism sector has not taken
off.
According to the United Nations World Tourism Association, 63.6
million international tourists arrived in Africa in 2012, compared to
17.4 million visitors in 1990. The top six countries for international
tourist receipts in 2012 were, in descending order: Egypt ($9.94
billion), followed by South Africa ($9.994 billion), Morocco ($6.711
billion), Tunisia ($2.183 billion), Tanzania ($1.564 billion) and
Mauritius ($1.477 billion).
The economic potential of tourism is remarkable, with direct and
indirect impact on employment. In Africa alone, travel and tourism
generated 8.2 million direct jobs in 2012. Africa is home to the world's
youngest population, with close to 70% of its population below the age
of 25, and youth constituting about 37% of the labour force, but making
up approximately 60% of unemployment. For this reason, the AfDB aims to
promote tourism through the development of cross-border infrastructure
and regional transport corridors, which will facilitated the movement of
people and goods on the continent.
Africa's future looks bright given the huge growth in adventure and
eco-tourism, coupled with the continent's rich cultural heritage and
natural beauty. Already, several airlines from the United States,
Africa, Europe and the Middle East have plans to expand their routes.
Soon those untouched beaches and remote villages will become a thing of
the past.
0 comments:
Post a Comment