ABSTRACT
Africa is an area experiencing many controversial phenomena. It is a vast region (see Map 23.1) combining low growth in development indices and abundance of natural resources. On the other hand, the African continent has suffered from warfare and internal fighting that impeded its tourism development. This oxymoronic situation is also observed in the air transport and tourism sectors. The expansion of the airline services in the African region is rather uneven. Some African countries witness satisfactory results in the air transport operations but what is important here is the unobstructed, smooth, expeditious and unvarying spread of the air services throughout the continent so as to provide reliable services to those wishing to be transferred within its territory. Countries situated in the north, southern and eastern parts of Africa may not be sufficiently developed in the aviation field but they are in a ber position compared to the French speaking, sub-Saharan countries. The main areas of the African airline industry that are problematic and inconsistent with the internationally accepted standards of aviation are safety, aged fleet, airport infrastructure and qualifications of the personnel employed. Similarly, tourism arrivals and receipts vary significantly amongst the African subcontinents and countries. This chapter examines historical developments in aviation and tourism markets in Africa followed by a discussion of current trends, major policy issues and the way forward.
