Travel in Africa

One of the Last Frontiers of Global Tourism

By Volker Poelzl

A sailing boat in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Photo courtesy of Lies Ouwerkerk.

The diverse continent of Africa is one of the last frontiers of global tourism. While travelers can follow a well-developed tourist trail in most other continents, travel in Africa is often perceived as an adventure in many countries. The continent has an unimaginably rich cultural heritage and fascinating ecosystem. However, with rare exceptions like South Africa, the tourism infrastructure remains poorly developed. Travelers in many parts of Africa still need a strong sense of adventure and courage. Many travelers interested in visiting Africa are concerned that those of us who do not reside on the African continent hear nothing but bad news about this vast and varied assortment of countries. We hear of the kidnappings of tourists, civil war, piracy, violence, human rights abuses, tribal conflicts, economic collapse, and terrorist attacks. Sudan, Nigeria, Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, and South Africa have all made the headlines this past year with such frightening news.

In response, many Western governments have issued travel warnings for many African countries, advising their citizens not to travel there or to specific regions. A rising crime rate against tourists is one of the significant concerns. Nevertheless, tribal conflicts, terrorism, and civil war also pose serious risks, often in border regions with unstable neighboring countries. West Africa has the lowest number of African countries with travel warnings from Western governments. Of the region's sixteen countries, only Mauritania, Guinea, Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, and Nigeria are considered dangerous or partly dangerous for foreign travelers. Botswana, Madagascar, Namibia, and Malawi are considered relatively safe in other parts of Africa. Still, most other African countries have at least an elevated and sometimes very high-security risk for foreign travelers.

Faced with these bleak assessments from their governments and discouraging media reports, it is not surprising that many travelers wonder if it is worth taking the risk of visiting Africa. But travelers interested in Africa should know that the travel advisories and news we hear only tell part of the story. Ethnic conflict, political instability, civil unrest, and violence are no doubt serious threats to travelers. Yet, many places in Africa are peaceful and relatively stable. We must remind ourselves that a safe and successful trip depends mainly on being well-informed, taking safety precautions, and choosing our travel destination and itinerary carefully.

The Challenges of Tourism in Africa

Traditionally, mining, oil, and other commodities accounted for Africa's most significant percentage of foreign currency earnings. Despite its wealth in natural resources, Africa remains the least developed and poorest continent, with over half of the population living on less than US$1 a day. Over the past decade, tourism has become an increasingly important sector of Africa's economy, surpassing traditional sources of income such as mining, natural resources, and agricultural products. Many African countries are beginning to recognize tourism as Africa's best chance to overcome poverty and provide at least a basic standard of living to its citizens. Countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Uganda, and Rwanda increasingly rely on tourism for their foreign currency earnings. The growing tourism industry has brought economic development and stability to many impoverished areas.

Positive Developments

Despite the many problems facing this vast continent, some countries are moving toward greater prosperity and stability, and tourism plays a vital role in this development. Tourism cannot be a panacea for Africa's ethnic, social, and economic problems. Nonetheless, with the help of international aid organizations, tourism development is making significant advances. Many programs and efforts are underway across Africa to expand the local infrastructure and promote tourism development. The World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the African Development Bank Group, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provide training seminars, research, analyses, and policy advice for tourism development. These organizations also finance projects across Africa that focus on local infrastructure projects, such as power generation, drinking water systems, road and railway construction, ecotourism, environmental preservation, and sustainable development. Such projects significantly improve the lives of the local people in areas enduring widespread poverty and underdevelopment.

Considering the widespread positive impact of tourism on Africa's development, visiting Africa becomes much more than selecting a country to have a great vacation. Every visitor makes a small contribution to the development of the country they visit, and their travel expenses provide a much-needed source of income and local revenue in regions plagued by poverty and underdevelopment. But traveling on a continent affected by many social and political problems is a challenge. If you want to visit Africa, you must get past the sound bites and stories that make the news headlines and investigate where Africa, this vast and diverse continent, stands today.

Volker Poelzl is a Living Abroad Contributing Editor for TransitionsAbroad.com.