TOURISM AS THE BACKBONE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH IN AFRICA

Abstract

This paper will discuss to details how the tourism industry has become economically outstanding in upgrading people's living standards and advancement services provisions at the individual and national level. It is true that tourism in any county has a direct relationship with people's lives especially in the economic sphere, since it is the leading sector in terms of recruitment of people in both steady and temporary employment such as tour guides, hoteliers, drivers and tour operators. All these groups pay taxes in their country, take part in socio-economic activities and that is marked as one of the Unemployment solution, and a catalyst for positive changes in people's life in economic spheres. Not only through the provision of employment, but also through investment have doors been opened up in the tourism sector. This article will describe in detail how tourism operates in most African countries with Tanzania as the case study. The country's objectives for this sector will be seen, as well as how the people there benefit and depend on this sector. Here below are the three parts of this paper named part one, two and three. Part one will briefly explain the general concept of tourism in relation to economic developments, how people get benefits, tourism operations and direct outputs of tourism in the government.

The second part will deliberately discuss the basis of tourism sector that is important for economic development, contribution of tourism sector to national economy, implication of tourism industry in social and physical infrastructure developments, and government policies that help tourism industry to grow in Africa.

The last part will give out recommendations on what should be done to improve this sector and make it a more independent sector, especially in developing countries.