Tourism – in terms of its contribution to gross domestic product, employment and trade – is an important sector in many African economies, and its growth is increasingly driven by tourists originating from the continent itself. However, most African countries still face significant challenges and constraints in exploiting the potential of tourism services in trade and economic development.

The Economic Development in Africa Report 2017: Tourism for Transformative and Inclusive Growth examines the role that tourism can play in Africa’s development process. It identifies the main barriers to unlocking the potential of tourism in Africa to help structurally transform the continent’s economy and provides policy recommendations on how to overcome them.

In sum, tourism can be an engine for inclusive growth and a complement to development strategies aimed at fostering economic diversification and structural transformation within an appropriate policy context.

Report by Unctad