Tourism

Unlike spending on toll roads, new ports, and industrial zones, where the immediate economic needs are easily identified and the longer-term benefits can be reasonably anticipated, gains from investments in sports tourism and related infrastructure tend to be less tangible.

The establishment of a new fund to support the tourism sector is setting the stage for expansion in one of Nigeria’s most promising but least developed industries.

Le Ministère du Tourisme, à la recherche de solutions innovantes pour revitaliser le secteur, a proposé que soient prises cette année plusieurs mesures alternatives afin de stimuler les recettes et accroître les arrivées touristiques.

An ambitious growth plan for Egypt’s tourism industry, a major contributor to the wider economy, is under way to steer the sector forward after political revolution in 2011 put a damper on arrival numbers and revenues. However, taking into account the revolution’s effects on the sector, Egypt still attracted an impressive 10m visitors in 2011 and maintained its position as the most-visited country in the region.

Rising visitor numbers are supporting the growth of Indonesia’s tourism industry, and the country is now looking to tap into growing markets and develop new destinations. While tourism is an important foreign currency earner and a moderate contributor to overall GDP, it is still small compared to regional leaders Thailand and Malaysia. Its growth outlook, however, is excellent.