Transcript tourism.g15-travel Geo

Subsaharan Africa
Subsaharan Africa
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Africa is one of the largest continents
Most sparsely populated and least visited
Totals 11,685,000 square miles
Size handicaps development of
transportation and communication
linkages
Subsaharan Africa
• Tourism in Africa is limited
• 3 regions attract significant world tourism,
East Africa (principally Kenya, Tanzania,
Uganda and Mauritius), West Africa
(Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, and Ivory
Coast) and Southern Africa (South Africa,
Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and
Swaziland)
Subsaharan Africa
• Land of poverty, with the lowest per capita
incomes in the world
• $100 a year or less is the norm
• Low literacy rates, high rates and death
rates, high infant mortality rates
Physical characteristics
• Elevations of 650 feet to 6,500 feet
• True lowlands, form sea level to about 300
feet
• Divided into low-level plateaus
• High level plateaus is the Rift Valley
system of East Africa, which stretches
from southeast Africa to the Jordan River
Valley of the Middle East
Physical characteristics
• Lowland Africa rarely exceeds 2,000 feet
in elevation
• River systems of the Congo and the Niger
as well as the major part of the drainage of
the Nile
Climate Patterns
• Characterized by too much, too little, or
poorly timed precipitation
• Daytime temperatures average between
70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit throughout
the year, and daily ranges exceed 15
degrees
Climate Patterns
• North and South of the tropical savanna
lands is transition zone of steppe climate
• Transitional region immediately south of
the Sahara Desert is known as the Sabel,
where the world’s attention has been
focused because of recurring drought and
related human suffering for the past two
decades
Climate Patterns
• Deserts are characterized by temperature
extremes, limited precipitation and isolated
settlements
• Recorded the world’s highest official
temperatures of 136 degrees Fahrenheit
Climate Patterns
• In southeastern and southwestern Africa,
increased elevation of influence from
prevailing winds creates areas of
subtropical climate similar to the
Southeastern US
Tourism in Africa
• Least developed and least visited region of
tourism in the world
• General lack of a strong tourist industry in
Africa
• Region’s long distance from the major
tourist-generating countries of the world
and the limited connectivity between North
America, Europe and Africa
Tourism in Africa
• Direct connectivity into some countries,
such as Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa;
but for the region as a whole,
transportation is poor and infrequent
West Africa
• Countries include e.g. Ghana, Ivory Coast,
Senegal, Sierra Leone etc
• Official languages and some African
languages e.g. French, English, Congo,
Nigerian, Mina, are spoken in each of the
countries
Tourism Characteristics
• Senegal and Ivory Coast are the major
beneficiaries of tourism to the region
• Transit area connecting North and South
America and Europe with many African
countries
• Ivory Coast has the best tourist
infrastructure, with fine restaurants and
good hotels
Tourism Characteristics
• Nigeria and Ghana experienced a
significant increase in the number of
tourists they received during the 1990s.
• France, a former colonial power in the
region is the dominant market for the
region
• French visitors are the largest European
group of tourists
Tourism Characteristics
• Exceptions are Gambia and Nigeria,
where Germany and the UK are important
sources for visitors
Tourist Destinations and
Attractions
• Focal point of tourism on the Ivory Coast is
its beautiful beaches set amid plantations
and picturesque fishing village
• Abidjan, the capital, is a colonial town
providing attractions, such as the IFAN
museum, the public market, and an
interesting African sector
Tourist Destinations and
Attractions
• Senegal is a hub for international flights
and also offers beautiful beaches
• Capital, Dakar, has a number of interesting
museums e.g. House of Slaves on the
island of Goree and a “French town”
similar to that in New Orleans or St Louis
Tourist Destinations and
Attractions
• Finest game reserves in West Africa with a
variety of wildlife and good
accommodations
• Nigeria suffers from overcrowding, poor
sanitation, and high prices in its cities, but
those who visit the capital, Lagos, will find
a museum of African art, the Museum of
Nigerian Antiquities and one of the largest
markets of Africa
Tourist Destinations and
Attractions
• Togo, near the Ivory Coast, has a tourist
trade similar to Nigeria
• Serious attempt to improve its tourist
business and draws heavily form the
neighbors of Ghana and Nigeria
• Other countries of West Africa receive only
a small number of tourists
Tourist Destinations and
Attractions
• Most countries have good beaches and
their people illustrate African tribal culture,
but lack of facilities and promotion
combine with political unrest to prevent
significant growth in their tourist trade