Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
integrated concept of protection, education and sustainable
development.
over a third to Southern Africa, almost a quarter to East
Africa, and the remainder are spread over the rest of the
continent, but mainly West Africa.
Though still crippled with persistent poverty, disease, war
and political instability, in terms of tourism, Africa has
witnessed tremendous growth. Ashley and Mitchell ( 2005 )
note that whilst Africa contributes little to global tourism
3
Geotourism and Geoparks as Africa
s
Contemporary Prospects for Sustainable
Rural Development and Poverty
Alleviation
'
cantly to African econo-
mies. By 2003, tourism accounted for over 11 % of total
African exports and 20
gures, tourism contributes signi
3.1
Africa
s Natural History Richness
for Tourism
'
30 % of exports for most countries
that exceeded the modest threshold of half a million foreign
visitors a year. In fact, tourism is disproportionately impor-
tant to Africa compared to other continents. Africa accounts
for just 1.6 % of World GNP but 4.1 % of all international
arrivals.
While this growth and development of tourism in Africa
may seem insigni
-
Africa is one of the fortunate continents blessed with
abundant, undisturbed natural resources useful for tourism.
Africa is an unusual tourist destination in the world as its
attractions and its indigenous people are quite different from
those of the rest of the world. Africa is the parallel universe,
a continent where
cant compared to other parts of the world
(e.g., Europe and North America), it has been rapid in the
last decade. According to the World Tourism Organisation,
tourism growth in developing countries, mainly in Asia and
Africa, has been very strong. Asia (+13 %) was the
according to popular perception and the
tourist brochures
history has halted, and people live as in
time immemorial, following their age-old traditions. Their
thatched villages are set in a borderless expanse of bush
where wild animals, normally only seen elsewhere in zoos,
roam in the wild
rst
region to recover and was the strongest growing region in
2010. International tourist arrivals into Asia reached a new
record at 204 million last year, up from 181 million in 2009.
Africa (+6 %, 49 million arrivals), the only region to show
positive
it is a land of pristine wilderness.
landscape and, therefore,
there is no doubt that the continent has much unexploited
geotourism potential that can contribute to sustainable rural
development and poverty alleviation. From the White Desert
in Egypt, to the Blue Niles Falls in Ethiopia and over to the
Victoria Falls (the Smoke that Thunders) in Zambia to the
table mountains in South Africa,
Africa is a
'
wild and unspoilt
'
gures in 2009, maintained growth during 2010,
bene
ting from increasing economic dynamism and the
hosting of events such as the FIFA World Cup in South
Africa. Results returned to double digits in the Middle East
(+14 %, 60 million arrivals) where tourist arrivals to almost
all destinations grew by 10 % or more.
the list of geotourism
potential in Africa is endless.
In the wake of sustainable development and globalisation,
many nations, especially in Africa, are in a hurry to for-
mulate, rede
3.2
Sustainable Tourism Development
and Poverty Alleviation
ne and implement policies that are sustainable.
To reduce environmental, social and economic costs and
increase bene
ts, many international aid agencies and donor
governments have recognised the positive impact tourism
can bring to a country by creating economic opportunities
and contributing to the general quality of life of local
communities (Ngwira and Musinguzi 2011 ).
Thus, tourism has become one of the fastest developing
industries in Africa and currently one of the continent
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)
has de
Sustainable tourism
development that meets the needs of present tourists and
host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities
for the future
ned sustainable tourism as
. It is envisaged as leading to management of
all resources in such a way that economic, social and aes-
thetic needs can be ful
s
major economic development opportunities, as evidenced by
its 6 % growth rate for the last decade. Africa receives 4.8 %
of all tourist arrivals in the world, and 3.3 % of the receipts
and, although it is not at the heart of the global tourist
market, this modest proportion of the world
'
lled while maintaining cultural
integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity,
and life support systems (World Tourism Organisation
1998a ).
According to Inskeep ( 1991 ), the goals of sustainable
tourism are: to develop a greater awareness and under-
standing of the signi
s number one
industry is still important for the continent. Global tourist
dynamics depend on the situation in the developed world,
but less on the situation in
'
cant contributions that tourism can
make to the environment, people, and the economy; to
promote equity in development; to improve the quality of
life of the host community; to provide a high quality of
experience for the visitor; and to maintain the quality of the
nancial markets. Despite the fact
that
choice of international destination is often
inconsistent and
tourists
'
eeting, a clear pattern has emerged for
Africa: just one third of tourists go to the Maghreb countries,
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