Page 18 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 11

MY AFRIKA

run as local franchises and, thus, rely
on domestic capital and local staff,
which necessitates improvements
in local capacity. The low quality of
customer service is often attributed
to the lack of education levels in the
region in general, and the absence
of hotel and restaurant management
training courses in particular. This
could hinder the further develop-
ment of the industry by potentially
arable land. In the energy sector, 45 related to unsafe roads, inade- driving consumers away. Therefore,
out of 55 African countries have quate water supply and sanitation, investing hugely in a more strong
oil reserves and the continent has poor access to hospitals and other education system will equip and
8 percent of the world’s natural emergency services, expensive and empower Africans to spur a viable
gas. The hydroelectric potential is inconsistent electricity, and inade- and resilient economy.
an estimated 1,850 terawatt hours quate construction procedures.
every year, three times the current 3. Environmental and security
demand. There is a further 1,300 Indeed, one of the major challenges risks.
gigawatts of wind-power potential, for tourism businesses in Africa, In the absence of effective coordi-
along with untapped geothermal especially those working in more nation and management of envi-
sources and the largest solar energy remote destinations like safari lodg- ronmental conservation policies, the
reserves on the planet, between the es, is how to ensure safe, reliable, natural assets that bolster Africa’s
Sahara and the Kalahari deserts. and affordable access for clients. potential for tourism development
There is also an abundance of un- While domestic movement is most are likely to deteriorate. The conti-
derground resources such as cobalt, often restricted by the quality of nent is facing a widespread problem
manganese, diamonds, phosphates roads and public transit infrastruc- of deforestation and the potential
(fertilizer) and gold. ture, international access is often extinction of its most popular
constrained by complicated and wildlife species due to habitat loss
Unleashing this potential requires a expensive visa procedures, as well as and poaching. Despite some recog-
whole-of-society approach to miti- poor development of the aviation nition and collaboration by African
gate the already visible risks of the industry. governments to address these prob-
forgotten youth demographic. lems, most countries in the region
2. Economic risks. perform well below the international
Challenges of Tourism in Related to the problems of lack average in terms of environmental
Africa of infrastructure and economic sustainability. Many businesses are
mismanagement is the high cost finding creative solutions to these
1. Infrastructure and institutions. of doing business in Africa, which problems. One of which is the
African ministries for tourism tend is particularly acute in the tourism use of solar panels, which reduces
to be under-funded, requiring do- sector due to importance clients give contributions to carbon emissions,
nors or investors to step in and fill to the price-value ratio. Within the while also limiting reliance on
the gaps. In some cases, donor-driv- region, it is more expensive to devel- unreliable electricity supply chains
en development can be extremely op a hotel in countries with higher and lowering operational costs. The
effective—for example, an “anchor import duties and weaker infrastruc- tourism industry is responsible for
development” site in Tunisia re- ture for construction projects—such about 5 percent of anthropogenic
ceived initial stimulus from Western as Angola, Ghana, and Nigeria— carbon emissions in Africa, and the
donors, which ultimately led to the and these high costs are passed on share is growing. Given that climate
buildup of a destination that now to consumers. Where travelers face change will pose a major impedi-
receives 7 million tourists each year higher costs, they expect a higher ment to the global tourism industry
and accounts for 7.5 percent of an- quality of experience, but many in the coming decades, the rise of
nual GDP. Although there is some tourist destinations and attractions eco-tourism is a promising pathway
variation, even the more developed in Africa remain poorly managed. to build positive feedback loops
African destinations face problems Most international hotel chains are between tourists and environmental

18 | Heal . Restore . Rebirth . Afrika