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Africa
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Africa to Triple Tourist Numbers Madrid: Africa should be able to triple the size of its tourism industry by 2020 if proper efforts are made to ensure the safety and security of visitors. The number of tourist arrivals in the continent is forecast to reach 77. 3 million in 2020, up from 27.8 million last year-according to the new report Tourism 2020 Vision: Africa published by the World Tourism Organization (WTO). Greater co-operation among countries and between the public and private sectors are already helping to boost tourism, bringing greater coverage of Africa in tour operators brochures, says WTO Chief of Market Intelligence and Promotion Augusto Huéscar. But the report also highlights the negative effects of attacks on tourists and health scares. "Africa possesses natural and cultural resources in abundance, but civil unrest and perceived personal danger may prevent many nations from reaching their full tourism potential," says Mr. Huéscar. The report shows that countries which deal most effectively with negative events will best limit their impact, such as Kenya's introduction of a special police force for its national parks. Among other issues needing attention are: Aids, drinking water shortages and bureaucracy. Improvements to infrastructure and tourism facilities, a better and broader choice of product, and image correction through marketing campaigns should all be priorities over the next two decades, adds Mr. Huéscar. Tourism 2020 Vision: Africa predicts two major shifts in tourism patterns in the region: more tourists heading to southern Africa and a significant increase in intra-regional travel, which will account for more than half the total arrivals by 2020. Southern Africa is forecast to see an average 10.4 per cent annual rise in tourist arrivals to 36 million by 2020, up from 7.9 million in 2000, overtaking the North Africa region which will manage only a 3.5 per cent increase to 19 million from 9.4 million last year. East Africa will be the other main growth region, up 6 per cent annually to 17 million compared with 5.9 million in 2000. Meanwhile, intra-regional travel will rise by an annual average 6.5 per cent from 42 per cent of the market in 1995 to 53 per cent or 41.3 million tourists in 2020. European tourism to Africa will grow by a slower rate of 4.4 per cent a year, but will be the most important source of long-haul visitors, increasing to 19.6 million in 2020 from 6.6 million in 1995. Surprisingly, the main growth in European outbound to Africa is expected from new generating markets in central and eastern Europe. The strongest growth is expected from East Asia and the Pacific as that region recovers from its financial crises, with arrivals to Africa increasing by 7 per cent annually to nearly 2.5 million tourists a year by 2010. South Africa will be the prime beneficiary of tourism growth in Africa, with its four main long-haul markets-the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and France-expected to grow by more than 10 per cent a year, boosting arrivals from 6 million in 2000 to 30.5 million by 2020. Tunisia and Morocco will see much slower growth: Tunisia by 3 per cent a year from 5 million in 2000 to 9 million by 2020 and Morocco with 5 per cent annual growth from 4 million in 2000 to 8.7 million by 2020. In outbound tourism, southern Africa will also dominate, growing by more than 8 per cent a year to represent 30 million of the estimated 62 million African outbound travellers in 2020. South Africa will be the biggest source of outbound tourists, with trips to Zambia growing by 20 per cent annually, and the long-haul destinations of Germany and Australia both enjoying growth rates of more than 10 per cent in South African arrivals. Tourism 2020 Vision: Africa is available in English. It is part of a six-volume worldwide survey, which was based on statistics and forecasts gathered from WTO member countries and interviews with more than 75 tourism visionaries about the future of the industry. Each volume can be purchased for US$125 and the entire set is available for US$625. For more information, please contact:
Deborah Luhrman / Alla Peressolova WTO Press and Communications Tel. (34) 91-567-8100 Fax (34) 91-567-8218 Email: comm@world-tourism.org Internet: www.world-tourism.org |
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