| Summary: | Tourism has become a globally important sector and is undoubtedly playing a great part in international business. Many governments acknowledge the importance of the tourism sector in their economic growth strategies and also see it as a developmental tool, particularly in Africa. The contribution of the tourism sector to the development of African economies cannot be overstated. However, the optimism of how much the sector can actually assist in the economic development of the African continent is often dampened by the ongoing insecurity challenges that face Africa and the world, thereby hindering growth and development. Africa’s share of the tourism industry remains small but any small negative changes in tourist arrivals has an adverse impact on the tourism industry. Among other challenges that are negatively affecting the tourism sector globally are issues related to insecurity, the direct and indirect effects of conflicts, terrorism, and general instability, among others. These barriers also affect the African continent’s accelerated development plans. This article adopts a text analysis methodology to reflect on the incidents that are threatening the tourism sector’s contribution to the economies of African states from the period of March 2015 to March 2016. It also briefly addresses some opportunities that exist within the tourism industry in Africa.
|
|---|