Tourism in Africa CGG3O. Different Draws Recreation Culture Environmental/Adventure

Tourism in Africa

CGG3O

Different Draws

• Recreation

• Culture

• Environmental/Adventure

Recreation

• Many nice beaches and resort areas– Moroccan coast– Canary Islands– Tunisia– South Africa

• Newer tourist areas developing– Gambia– Senegal– Ivory Coast

Morocco

South Africa

Culture

• Egypt– Ancient Egyptian culture (Pyramids,

museums) along the Nile• Giza• Valley of the Kings

• Tunisia– Remnants of Carthage

Giza

Valley of the Kings

Environmental/Adventure Tourism

• The African Safari Adventure– Primarily in East and Southern Africa

• The Savannah region (tropical and subtropical grasslands)

– Wide network of national parks and game reserves

The African Savannah

• Covers over 30% of Africa

• Basically all of the middle of the continent is savannah except for dense jungle areas in the DRC and Gabon

Vegetation

• Grasses and a few shrubs (not many trees)

• Very dependent on rainfall– Wettest areas average about 1270 mm of rain– Driest areas only get about 250 mm– More rain = longer grasses, more

trees/shrubs

• Xerophytic (drought resistant) trees– Acacia, Baobab

Seasons

• Like the Caribbean, the African savannah doesn’t really have 4 seasons like we do– Rainy Season:

• Winds blow from southeast (Indian Ocean)

– Dry Season• Winds blow from northeast (Arabian Peninsula)

• The Savannah is desert-like during the dry season and lush and green during the wet season

Wildlife

• The savannah is home to the greatest variety of large mammals in the world– Herd animals: wildebeests, zebras, gazelles– Carnivores: lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas– Other big game: elephants, rhinos, buffalo– Hippos and crocodiles in the rivers– Over 2300 species of birds

• Birds of prey, vultures, ducks, flamingos, pelicans, ostriches, etc.

The Savannah Ecosystem

• Producers, Primary Consumers, Secondary Consumers, Scavengers, Decomposers

Tourism in the Savannah

• Most concentrated in East Africa– Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia

• Ex: Kenya– Independent from Britain since 1963– Developed tourism infrastructure to the point

that it attracts over a million tourists annually– Why so popular?

• Warm climate year round, vast savannah with numerous parks and game reserves, nice beaches

• Just as important – stable government

Kenya

• Official languages: English and Swahili• 55 national parks and game reserves

– Tsavo National Park is one of the biggest wildlife sanctuaries in the world

– Well maintained roads

• Nairobi and Mombasa have international airports

• Car rental firms• Organized tours