Angola: Angola Tourism Profile

Angola tourism market growing fast

Next years of civil war that destroyed the country’s communication and hospitality infrastructures, Angola has been living an economic increase period with the national government highly investing in the country’s reconstruction. Luanda is nowadays a business hub, attracting several international companies in various areas from finance, to engineering and tourism. Although business being the major purpose of tourism in the country, leisure has as well been rising as new touristic routes are created and market players become increasingly competitive.
Three stages for tourism development projected in Angola Tourism Master Plan

To promote sustainable increase, the Angola government has designed a plan to boost the country’s touristic request. In the initial stage, this plan targets the increase in domestic tourism though the increase in request from the national people inclunding expatriates. In a second phase, targeted to begin in 2014, the national government is projected to evolve divulgation projects to Southern African Development Community which include nations as South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia, part others, and to nations with economic and cultural links such as Portugal and Brazil. Next consolidation in these markets, the government is planning further investment in the expansion of the Angola tourism label internationally, focusing on nations like France, the UK, Germany or the US.

Angola a country of great potential but as well a lot of constraints

Angola’s extended coastline and unexploited beaches, high nature diversity and multiculturalism have been highly advertised by tourism entities to attract request. Nonetheless, the country as well presents some features that have been negatively impacting its increase potentiality such as the high prices practiced in hospitality, the low levels of customer service, high bureaucracy on visa policy and insufficient infrastructures.

Travel accommodation with a high dynamic

Fuelled by the low offer of high quality hotels and the expansion of tourism request, the number of travel accommodation outlets in the country has been seeing a high increase over the last few years. Despite a high % of the offer being concentrated in the country’s capital, investments have been made to fuel the development of in other areas, such as Namibe or Huila. In fact, the demining process in the country has allowed the increase of tourist exploitation in areas of the country in which the tourist offer would have been impossible a few years back.

High expectation for tourism in the coming years

In an underdeveloped stage, Angola tourism has high potential to grow over the estimate period. Furthermore, the expected increase in the country’s middle class, the government’s efforts in the country in terms of reconstruction and tourism divulgation are anticipated to produce positive results in the image of Angola as a touristic destination, boosting request. Nonetheless, a lot of things have to be done to increase the country’s competitiveness in the tourism arena.

Continuous tourism increase, despite the world recession

Improved infrastructure attracts additional tourists

Investments in infrastructure attracted considerable numbers of people, all of whom required accommodation and travel facilities. The government, in seeking to find alternative long-term revenue streams not dependent on foreign investors, has recognised the potential benefits from extending these facilities to appeal to a broader type visitor, namely tourists. As a result, a US$1 million action plan, devised in 2008, aims to develop the infrastructure of tourism during the estimate period.

Improved ties with other nations boost incoming tourist numbers

The Ministry of Tourism has put in place a number of external initiatives to encourage tourism. These include: cooperative agreements with Namibia, (which has an excellent track record in developing its tourist industry); opening up new flight routes to other African nations; and developing closer ties with Brazil to facilitate the large numbers of people that emigrated to Brazil returning for family or cultural visits.

African Cup of Nations shines spotlight on Angola

The African Cup of Nations in January 2010 provides the Angolan government with a springboard to promote the country as a tourist haven, with its natural and beautiful resources and low cost attractions. However, it has as well highlighted of the key problems that still face the tourist industry, namely the threat to security and stability from terrorist-type actions by members of the separatist movement. The government will need to find solutions to this ongoing and divisive threat if its initiatives and efforts to develop tourism are not to be in vain.

Corruption continues to threaten tourism growth

Angola is still rated as of Africa’s most corrupt nations and as such it has often struggled to attract inward investment for tourism infrastructure projects, with major companies being reluctant to operate in such an unpredictable environment. It as well fills a lot of incoming tourists with the fear that they may be confronted with corrupt officials, who they may not be comfortable dealing with.