Tourism in Africa
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| Source: 7-Themes.com |
Tourism in Africa
Tourism is an important economic factor for many countries
in Africa. The countries that benefit the most from this activity are Egypt,
Tunisia Morocco and South Africa, while Kenya, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and
Mauritius have a consistent income from tourism. Tourism in Africa isn’t curtailed in one
category. Multifarious types of tourism are exercised here in Africa. It starts
primarily from nature/ adventure tourism followed by cultural heritage tourism,
safari tourism, beach tourism and business tourism among others. The science of
tourism in Africa can be studied from different perspectives; from the
viewpoint of attractions, amenities, experiential factors such as festivals,
events, dining and entertainment, emotions-human , cultural and historic
resources and hospitality, physical factors such as infrastructure, natural
resources and accommodation(hotels and restaurants). With the different
classifications of tourism in mind, let’s cruise through few examples!
Cultural heritage
Culture is an important denominator in Africa, as it takes
part not only in tradition, but it is a stakeholder in an average African man’s
life. That’s why culture is even depicted in most tourist amenities of Africa. Egypt for example has a lot to offer in
the subject at hand. The Pyramid of Giza
has been rightfully referred to as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
The pyramid has awed numerous travelers through the ages. The Memorial Temple of Hatsepsut is another monument to be visited
and a lot of tourists have honored it. The
Egyptian Museum of Cairo is one of the world’s great museum collections
with dazzling amounts of exhibits to brag about.
Beach Tourism
Beaches and resorts in Africa are mind-boggling and not
appreciated by domestic tourists and residents only. International travelers
have enjoyed the ambiance of such destinations. In Ghana for instance, beaches are well - credited. Labadi beach in Accra has 3 kilometers
beachfront. Its infrastructure and other facilities are user friendly and
include basic amenities such as shower/change rooms, restaurants and snack
bars. Busua beach is 45 kilometers
west of the port of a city called Takoradi.
The magical night breezes are inspiring and coastal waters at this beach are
breathtaking. The Kokrobite beach is
a funky beach that entertains an exotic music genre. It is located
approximately 27 cm from Accra and it is showered with a partying and
merrymaking atmosphere.
Nature tourism
The thing about nature is that it attracts tourists without
man contributing to its development. In South
Africa, the famous Panorama Route of
Mpumalanga homes mountains, forests and canyons, most notably the Blyde canyon with its breathtaking views and plunging waterfalls.
Speaking of which, the Blyde Canyon
is the third world largest green canyon. It is situated in Mpumalanga and it constitutes
the one of South Africa’s remarkable geological features. Another beautiful
attraction is Kirstenbosch National
Botanical Garden in Cape Town. It boasts of 7000 plant species including
many rare and threatened species. It also contains indigenous plants, rich
collections of bulb, alpines and ferns.
Safari tourism
Wildlife is another nice criterion to determine tourism in
Africa. In Central Kenya, Lake Nakuru National Park entertains
huge flocks of flamingoes. It has a rich diversity of wildlife and it’s a park
that protects the largest euphorbia candelabrum forest. In the remote north,
there lies in an arid region the Samburu, Buffalo Springs and Shaba Reserves. The wildlife here depends on the waters
of the river to survive.
Conference tourism
That is a commonplace in Africa. Almost all African
Countries hold conferences meant to address national affairs. In Ethiopia, there holds the African Union summit (AU). It is a continental union
including all 55 African countries. It is established in Addis Ababa in a bid to achieve a greater unity and solidarity
between the African countries. Ethiopian
Economic Association (EEA) is
brought together by world class international and local researchers and
Ethiopian policymakers to discuss key development issues in relevant to the
Ethiopian economy. In Nigeria, the
Economic Community of West African
States (ECOWAS) is chaired in Abuja,
the federal capital territory. Its mission is to promote economic integration
across West Africa and it serves as a peacekeeping force in the region.
All in all Tourism in Africa is a blessing as it contributes
to the overall economy of the continent for a number of reasons:
Ø
Tourism is one of the fastest growing sectors of
the world economy.
Ø
Tourism creates jobs and stimulates SME (Small
and Medium Sized Enterprise) growth.
Ø
Demand for Tourism in Africa keeps on growing.
Ø
Tourism shows particular promise for developing
countries
Ø
Tourism accelerates reform.
Stay tuned!!
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