A lot has been said on the coming prosperity in tourism, lately, with great emphasizes on Africa especially. There are indications that in the next ten years, more and more job opportunities will spring up from this area of interest. APO, in a press release, noted that “During the next decade, tourism’s continued growth is expected to generate an additional 11.7 million jobs in Africa.”
It has been estimated and rounded on statistics that “Four out of 10 international tourists in Africa come from the continent itself, according to the new UNCTAD Economic Development in Africa Report 2017: Tourism for Transformative and Inclusive Growth.” This tells us something, that, Africans are waking up to this recreation. No doubt, with this trend, Africa is on her road to economic self sufficiency, in a matter of time.
APO reports that in “sub-Saharan Africa, this number increases to two out of every three tourists whose travels originate on the continent. Data backing this key finding show that, contrary to perception, Africans themselves are increasingly driving tourism demand in Africa.”
It added that “Tourism in Africa is a flourishing industry that supports more than 21 million jobs, or 1 in 14 jobs, on the continent. Over the last two decades, Africa has recorded robust growth, with international tourist arrivals and tourism revenues growing at 6 per cent and 9 per cent, respectively, each year between 1995 and 2014.”
Therefore, “Focusing on tourism for transformative and inclusive growth, this year’s report encourages African countries to harness the dynamism of the tourism sector.”
APO further disclosed that, “by collecting and comparing data from two different periods, 1995–1998 and 2011–2014, …report reveals that international tourist arrivals to Africa increased from 24 million to 56 million. Tourism export revenues more than tripled, increasing from $14 billion to approximately $47 billion. As a result, tourism now contributes about 8.5 per cent to the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP).”
It is in this light that Mukhisa Kituyi, the Secretary – General of UNCTAD expressed optimism, noting that Africa has the very potential to prosper out tourism.
“Tourism is a dynamic sector with phenomenal potential in Africa. Properly managed, it can contribute immensely to diversification and inclusion for vulnerable communities.”
