Tourism in Africa: Insight from Destinations of the African Union

Tourism in Africa: Insight from Destinations of the African Union. Author: Dr Vanessa Gaitree Gowreesunkar, Lecturer/Researcher, Mauritius Institute of Education President, African Network for Policy Research and Advocacy for Sustainability Executive Secretary, Women and Gender Cluster, AU ECOSOCC Africa is today a rich and promising continent. As a result, leading countries of the world are showing considerable interest to invest in the continent. From an economic perspective, it is observed that countries in Africa are increasingly focusing on tourism and the sector is a rapidly growing one of African countries’ export baskets. For instance, in the year 2014, Africa welcomed 64.3 million tourism arrivals and the industry generated 105.4 million jobs, representing 3.6% of the world total employment (Africa Tourism Monitor, 2015). The top African tourism destinations contributing to this number are member states of the African Union and these are: Cap Verde, Mauritius, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa Tanzania, Madagascar, Algeria, Mozambique and Sudan. This observation is also confirmed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization, which points out that Africa’s strong performance in 2014 makes it one of the world’s fastest-growing tourist destinations, second only to Southeast Asia (UNWTO, 2015). The African Union which regroups 54 African countries are richly endowed with tourism resources. The uniqueness and variety of those resources have immensely contributed to make Africa a desirable and appealing destination. Table 1 summarizes some of the key tourism attractions of the member states of the AU. Table 1: Main tourism attractions of AU member states AU Member States Main Tourism Attractions Algeria Notre Dame d’Afrique Sacred Site, Ketchaoua Mosque, Port De Sidi Fredj; Fort Santa Cruz; Memorial Du Martyr; Timgad Ancient Ruins. Angola Kalandula Falls; Fortaleza De Sao Miguel Museum; Sangano Beach; Quicama National Park; Ship Cemetery Benin Cotonou Cathedral; Palace Of Abomey; Pendjari National Park; Fidjrosse Beach; Ouidah Museum Of History; Mosque Of Porto Novo; Temple Des Pythons Botswana Mokolodi Nature Reserve;Botswana National Museum; Moremi Wildlife Reserve;Kubu Island; Kalahari Desert; Tsodillo Hills Burkina Faso Laongo Sculpture Symposium; Cascade De Banfora;Mare Aux Hippopotames; Bobodioulasso Mosque; Issouka Museum; Parc Animalier Burundi Rusizi National Park;Livingstone-Stanley Monument; Reptile Park; Burundi Museum; Gishora Drum Sanctuary Cape Verde Praia De Chaves Beach; Ponta Preta Beach’ Buracona Beach;Cova Crater; Zoo Ti Terra; Fortaleza Real De San Filipe Cameroon Mefou National Park; Limbe Wildlife Centre;Mount Cameroon; National Museum Of Yaounde; Down Beach; Dja Faunal Reserve Chad Zakouma National Park; National Museum Of N’Djamena; Tibesti Mountain; Lake Ounianga; Lake Chad;Grand Mosque Of N’Djamena Comoros Chomoni Beach;Bouni Beach; Mosque Du Vendredi; Mount Karthala; Sultan Palace; Dziancoundre Waterfall; Ntingui Mountain Congo Basilique St Anne; Musee Nationale Du Congo;Gorges Of Diosso; Lesio Louna Reserve; Odzala National Park; Grand Mosque; Côte d’Ivoire Lady Of Peace Basilica; Banco Natural Reserve;Dipi Crocodile Farm; Wharf Of Sassandra; Assagny National Park; Abokouamekro Game Reserve; Zoo National d’Abidjan DR Congo Lola Ya Bonodo Zoo;Mount Nyiragongo; Zingo Falls; Lake Kivu; Virunga National Park; Kisantu Botanical Garden; Okapi Wildlife Reserve; Gombe Church Djibouti Khor Ambado Beach; Dolphin Watching; Day Forest National Park; Hamoudie Mosque Egypt Pyramids Of Egypt; Sphinx Of Giza; Mosque Of Ibn Tulun; Dahab Beach; Egyptian Museum; Siwa Oasis; River Nile Cruise; Red Sea Reef Equatorial Guinea Santa Isabel Cathedral; Arena Blanca Beach; Pico Basil Mountain And Nature Walk; Elobey Island; La Casa Verde Monument Eritrea Asmara Cathedral; Mariam Othodox Church; Asmara Opera House; Denkalya Desert; Imperial Palace Ethiopia Lake Tana, Omo National Park; Lalibela Historic Building; Holy Trinity Cathedral; Omar Caves; Blue Niles Falls; Simien Mountain National Park Gabon Akanda National Park; Pointe Denis Beach; St Michelle Libreville Church; Notre Dame De Lourdes Church; La Lope Wildlife Gambia Gambia National Museum; Abuko Nature Reserve; Kachikally Museum; Kiang West National Park; Kuntah Kinteh Island Ghana National Museum Of Ghana; Elmina Castle;Labadi Beach; Busua Beach; Kakum National Park;Wli Waterfalls; James Town Lighthouse Guinea Ile De Los; National Museum; Conakry Mosque; La Soumba Waterfall; Mount Nimba Nature Reserve Guinea Bissau Igreja Catholic Church;Fortaleza De Sao Jose Da Amura Historic Site; National Art Museum Kenya Lake Nakuru,Nairobi National Park; Karen Blixen Museum;Mount Kenya; Great Rift Valley; Amboseli National Park; Maasai Mara Game Reserve Lesotho Afri Ski And Mountain Resort; Katse Dam; Maletsunyane Falls; Maluti Mountain; Mohale Dam; Morija Museum Liberia Sapo National Park; Lake Piso; Providence Island; Africa Safari; White Water Rafting; Kpa Tawe Waterfalls Libya Lepnis Magna Ancient Ruins;Rman Sabratha Historic Site; Tripoli Red Castle; Jamahiriya Museum; Akakus Desert; Gurgi Mosque Madagascar Ranomafana National Park; Isalo National Park; Nosy Mangabe; Hill Of Ambohimanga; Ste Marie Beach Malawi Mount Mulanje; Kuti Wildlife Reserve; St Peter Cathedral; Kumbali Cultural Village; Kande Beach; Karonga History Museum Mali Museum Of Mal; National Park Of Mali; Mosque Of Djenne; Niger River;Jenne Jeno Ruin; La Dune Rose; Felou Waterfall Mauritania Nouakchott Beach; Mauritania Desert; Saudi Mosque;Arguin Bank National Park; Haie Mohamedia Mosque Mauritius Pereybere Beach; Ganga Talao Lake; Tamarind Falls; Ilot Bernaches; Trou Aux Cerf; Pamplemousses Botanical Garden; Black River Gorges; Chamarel Seven Coloured Earth; Port Louis Market Mozambique Machilla Magic Art Gallery;Iglesia De San Antonio De La Polana; Two Mile Reef; Fort Sao Sebastien Historical Site; Bazaruto National Park Namibia Etosha National Park; Okaukuejo Waterhole; Swakopmund Museum;Fish River Canyon; Namib Desert; Sesriem Canyon;Christuskirche Church Niger Agadez Mosque; National Museum Of Niger; Niger Sahara Desert; Koure Giraffe Reserve; Sultan Palace Ancient Ruin; Regional Museum Nigeria Olumo Rock; Lekki Market; Abuja National Mosque; Elegushi Beach; Agodi Market; Kalakuta Republic Museum; Black Heritage Museum Rwanda Nyungwe Forest; Akagera National Park; Kigali Memorial Centre; Lake Kivu; Nyamata Church; Virunga National Park; Niyo Art Gallery Sahrawi Republic El Mchaouar Business Centre; Dakhla Bay; Tarkaussaa Natural Site; Province Of Lhasa; São Tomé and Príncipe Obo National Park; Lagao Azul Beach; Sao Sebastiao Museum; Banana Beach; Fort De Sao Sebastiao; Roca Belo Monte Historic Site Senegal Lake Retba; Saloum Delta National Park; Grand Mosque Of Dakar; Djoudj Bird Sanctuary; Reserve De Bandia, Lagune De La Somone Wildlife; Fathala Reserve Seychelles Aride Island; Coco Island; La Digue Island; Spice Garden; Seychelles Botanical Garden; Clock Tower; Victoria Market Sierra Leone River Number Two Beach; Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary; National Railway Museum; St George Cathedral; Freetown Mosque Somalia Union Mosque; Mogadishu Cathedral; Warsheekh Beach; Tomb Of Unknown Soldiers; Gezira Beach; Bakara Market South Africa Table Mountain; Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden; Cape Of Good Hope; Kruger National Park; Victoria And Alfred Waterfront; Shamwari Game Reserve; Garden Route South Sudan Boma National Park; Bandingilo National Park; Nimule National Park; Nile River; John Garang Maosuleum Sudan Meroe Pyramid; Nile Street; Sudan National Museum; Gebel Barkal Ancient Ruin; Sanganeb National Park Swaziland Milwane Wildlife Sanctuary; Malolotja National Park; Swazi Cultural Village; Mantenga Nature Reserve; Yebo Art Gallery; Mdzimba Natural Trail Togo Monument De L’Independence; Koutammakou Historic Site; Lome Cathedral; Mountain Agou; Tabermas Village;Keran Park Tunisia Bardo Museum;Bourghiba Mausoleum; Guellala Museum; Mahdia Beach; Medina Of Tunis;Sahara Desert; Ancient Roman Bath Uganda Bwindi Impenetrable National Park; Murchison Falls; Gaddafi National Mosque; Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary Tanzania Mount Kilimanjaro; Ngorongoro Crater; Cheetas Rock; Nakupenda Beach; Forodhani Park; Olduvai Gorge; Mbudya Island Zambia Chaminuka Game Reserve; Kalimba Reptile Park; Cathedral Of Holy Cross; Pakati Sunday Market; Chilenje House Historic Site Zimbabwe Victoria Falls Bridge; Great Zimbabwe Monuments and Statues; Hwange National Park; Matobo Hills; Antelope Park; Mukuvisi Woodlands; Nesbitt Castle Source: Author (Adapted from Trip Advisor, 2016) As illustrated by Table 1, each of the member state is endowed with distinct tourism product and this offers excellent opportunities for regional linkages. For example, a tourism package for East Africa might include the Maasai Maara tour (cultural tourism in Kenya), Lake Tanganyika (nature tourism in Zambia), Serengeti national park (ecotourism in Tanzania), Kigali memorial centre (heritage tourism in Rwanda), Pemba island (island tourism in Zanzibar Archipelago), Ololosokwan village (community based tourism in Tanzania). Africa’s potential for tourism is undoubtedly enormous, but it is often hampered by its history, economy, social and political setting, with terrorism being one of the most serious threat of the continent. As a result, when on one side tourism businesses are increasing in Africa, on the other side, the perceived risk of travelling to and within the continent is not decreasing. Many reasons account for this. For instance, the Ebola virus epidemic (Western Africa), visa issues (Southern Africa), air crash of Egyptair (Northern Africa), natural calamities (Central Africa) and the recent terrorism incidents in Nigeria, Libya, Egypt and Cameroon. Most African countries are admittedly post disaster and post conflict destinations and thus still have the image of an unsafe destination. In attempting to change visitors’ image of Africa, a re-education effort needs to be implemented highlighting discrepancies between people’s perception of the country and the current reality. A study conducted by Gossling (2012) in Martinique, a Caribbean island with unfavorable weather condition, shows that repeat visitors were more resilient to weather extremes and ‘weather’ loses importance with continued visitation. These repeat visitors do not dismiss the threat of storms, but are knowledgeable enough to put it in context as a small, but not defining factor in their destination choices Thus, when visitors have a better knowledge of the true nature of post disaster and post conflict African destinations, they will still be interested to visit them. Consequently the receiving countries will be encouraged to relaunch their tourism sectors from a renewed perspective. In a report entitled ‘Invest in Africa 2015’, Dr Zuma, the chairperson of the African Union Commission, highlighted that Africa should collaborate closely with its partners in order to achieve the goal of the Agenda 2063. Agenda 2063 is a strategic framework that operationalizes the AU vision and it relates to the optimization of African resources for the benefit of all Africans. One of the aspirations of the Agenda 2063 particularly reconcile with the vision of tourism in wider Africa – A prospective Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development, an integrated continent politically united based on the ideals of pan Africanism. These translated to the tourism sector suggests that Africa tourism can also be based on a spirit of pan Africanism if there is collaboration between member states. While recent years have seen the launch of numerous regional cooperation like the single visa scheme (SADC members), the “KAZA” (Kavango Zambezi) common tourist visa by Zambia and Zimbabwe, and the single visa covering three countries (Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, not all member states benefitted from this advantage. However, it is worth noting that, members’ states of the AU do not have same priorities and vision. For instance, a country like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi and Zimbabwe have other priorities such as food security, education, healthcare of its population whereas countries like South Africa, Egypt and Algeria Kenya have the potential to develop their tourism resources, as they are at a different stage of economic development. As such, the DRC will probably not make a first step in tourism unless appropriate support is provided. In this respect, the African Union can play a significant role in ensuring that a balanced interest in maintained in tourism activities among member states (particularly in post conflict and post disaster destinations). The evaluation of cultural, heritage, and historical resources in the African continent and how these resources can advance tourism development in less attractive African countries (that is post conflict and post disaster destinations) need to be a priority in the tourism agenda of AU member states. For instance, conferences and meetings could be organized in countries like the DRC and the Zimbabwe. This will put those countries on the tourism map and gives the confidence to the tourism market that such countries have potential for tourism. Moreover, the AU should conduct meetings in locally-owned hotels and use African products. Undoubtedly, the sector cannot develop without improvements in security issues, public health, and appropriate tourism infrastructures. Thus, the AU can continue to assume its advisory role and encourage governments of less popular destinations to invest in tourism infrastructure, human resource development, institutional capacity building, and improve environmental mitigation and protection. The development of infrastructure and connectivity between the different African countries is key to Africa’s integration efforts to facilitate people to people relations and to facilitate intra African trade. The access to safe, reliable, and environmentally friendly transportation within the continent is important for a more holistic development of African tourism. It is also observed that the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) is collaborating with few African countries to find new ways of boosting the continent’s tourism industry through a continent wide action plan. However, it is imperative that the African Union oversee that there is a consistent and sustainable tourism development across all member states. For instance, the setting up a tourism fund might benefit member states in their planning and coordinating efforts of tourism activities and hence redistribute and redirect tourism revenues to less attractive countries. Where national attractions are shared with neighboring countries, joint or regional promotion and marketing can be effective. In so doing, member states would be accelerating efforts towards continental integration and working towards a collective African tourism vision. Certainly, many other avenues may be explored, but it is beyond the scope of this article to discuss all of them. The purpose of this article was to provide a broad overview on the scope and challenges of tourism in countries forming part of the African Union. Africa, as a continent, is recognized internationally for the quality of its resource endowment for tourism, and yet not all of its countries have been able to realize their full potential. Exploratory and prescriptive in nature, this article proposes few basic suggestions that might help to develop a more coherent framework for tourism within the continent. In today’s globalized market, countries of the same continent are competing with each in the price and quality of tourism offers. Thus, if African countries intend to position themselves in the international tourism chessboard, there should be collaboration among member states and linkage possibility should be explored so that Africa remains the most desirable tourism destination in the gaze of the outside world. While various initiatives have been undertaken in the pursuit of a sustained tourism development within the AU member states, it is equally important to invest in disaster and conflict preparedness and crisis management system. This article therefore argues that, Africa remains a land of opportunities. The African Union can play a more strategic role in developing tourism within the continent and can act as a watch dog to maintain a balanced interest among member states, in particular for less popular destinations having difficulty to take off. By aligning with Agenda 2063 vision and working jointly as partners, tourism in Africa will not only contribute substantially to host governments’ revenues, but also develop the spirit of pan-Africanism and improve the quality of life in regions which are remote and often deprived.