For several African economies, tourism is their lifeline. The success of the sector in job generation and also its growing contribution to the GDP has encouraged the countries to beef up the tourism infrastructure to attract more footfalls. About 50 percent of Seychelles’ gross domestic product (GDP) comes from tourism. The rates are 30 per cent in Cape Verde, 25 percent in Mauritius, and 16 percent in the Gambia. The World Bank figures say that tourism accounts for 8.9 per cent of East Africa’s GDP, 7.2 percent of North Africa’s, 5.6 of West Africa’s and 3.9 percent of Southern Africa’s. In Central Africa,
tourism contributes just 1 percent. But the onset of the Pandemic and the resultant travel restrictions have derailed the tourism-dependent African economies.
Fall in tourism has a ripple effect impacting sectors such as aviation, hospitality, entertainment, food, and beverage, local transport etc. Recently, International hotel chains like Intercontinental announced the closure of their properties in Kenya. If the chain breaks at one point, the impact is felt all across. For instance, estimates from IATA puts that the African airlines had suffered a loss of US$ 4.4 billion on account of the
international and national travel ban and it is still counting. More than one million people are employed in the tourism sector in countries like Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa. In smaller countries like Cape Verde, Sao Tome, Principe and Mauritius,
over 25% of the citizens are drawing livelihood from tourism and related sectors. Worst still is the recent estimates of the UN that over 2 million jobs will be lost in the tourism sector on the continent. With no sign of the flattening of the curve of infection, the sector is bound to continue its fall. According to African Union (AU), countries in the region have lost almost $55 billion in travel and tourism revenues in the pandemic days So far.
One silver lining unique to Africa is that the number of people infected by the pandemic is very less compared to other parts of the world. Can that help the continent to take advantage in the post-Covid-19 days? Many feel so provided the continent takes a
proactive step in attracting more international tourists. Tourism experts feel that there will be an immediate spurt in the tourism sector once the Covid-19 is abated or when there are clear cut signs of the pandemic bottoming out. Africa, where the incidence of the
infection was much less, could be a major beneficiary. But the continent has to take basic steps for responding to the “new normal” in the post-Covid-19 era. Tourists will be looking forward to have hygienic and healthy environs including conformity to the health
protocols in airlines, airports, hotels and tourist centers and basic health infrastructure like services of doctors, pharmacies, wearing of health products like masks, use of sanitizers etc in the countriesthey visit
In the medium and long run, the continent has to prepare itself to become a tourist hotspot. The present international tourist arrivals are mostly due to the exotic beaches in island nations, wildlife in countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, picturesque settings in
countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe and monuments and historic places in Egypt etc. Newer paradigms have to be created to attract more tourists. The continent is generally known as a low-cost zone. Countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda, Egypt, Kenya, etc can become
international meeting venues wherein they can attract business travelers, who combine business with leisure. Of course, infrastructure like good conference halls, a chain of hotels with international standards and other conference-related facilities of all
ranges should come up. It augurs well that some of the international chains Radisson Blu, Hilton; Four Seasons etc are focusing on the the continent in a more intense manner, going by the new properties that are coming up. Hotel accommodations have to come up in every category –high, medium and low- to suit the pockets of range of tourists.
The continent has to evolve a long term tourism policy keeping in mind the strides it is making to become the most happening economic hub. Implied in that is the need for dovetailing general economic blueprint with a tourism plan. Factors like investment in infrastructure like airports, roads, creating world-class amenities near tourist spots,
connecting airports with hinterlands where tourist spots are located, promoting seamless tourism trails cutting across countries in the region, particularly with the formation of AfCATA etc should get importance. Yet, the overriding factor to make the continent a star
tourist attraction is a conductive law and order situation across the continent and not in isolated pockets. That is both a challenge and an arduous goal.
