ABSTRACT
The African diaspora, both historically and from a contemporary perspective, has prompted individuals of African descent to explore the continent’s slave tourism sites, tribal lands, and post-colonial legacies. As a tourist destination Africa has struggled to gain traction. The challenge facing tourists to Africa, particularly tourists looking to identify some aspect of their existence with Africa through social, historical, or cultural interactions, involves the concept of authenticity. Staged authenticity refers to tourism settings, events, and interactions that are unnatural to the host community or environment but are contrived to represent what tourist's desire. Orphanage tourism has become a prime example of staged authenticity in Africa. Economic benefits are only one component-social, environmental and cultural costs and benefits also need to be taken into account. But few people acknowledge their connection to their true motherland: Africa; the cradle of mankind.
