Desertor

ft's up torrs
Tourism could be the greatest single contribution
South Africa can make to the reconstruction of
Africa but it must be responsible travel.
-
Eddie Koch and David Grossman repoft
t-Ilat stretch of desert where a Marx-
ist government and an obscure rebei

AffiHfr#
countryrnen.' A cauldron of change,
movement tore the country to
shreds
- rather, a place steeped in
ancient civilisations and cultures.
Africa has in the minds of their These assets are helping the coun-
try to recover from misrule and civil
unsettled and insecure, a huge war by attracting travellers from
degree ofrisk for operators and con- around the world.
sumers alike, indifferent service ..." Madagascar and Mozambique, Misconceptions: Starry-eyed
these are the key words that litter two countries that were joined visitors to Zanzibar are often
-
the official record of the meeting. together 160-million years ago, now unaware of the deep-seated
It is now a tmism to say tor;rism isshare a new bond. Nature tourism political differences that wrack
the world's largest and fastest-grow- in both countries is a force for the island and its history
ing economic sector. It's the only growth of the type that can be kind
industry that involves a net transfer both to their people and their fragile PHOTOGRAPHS; ANDREW BANNISTER
of funds from the rich industrial ecosystems.
countries to poorer developing International environmental
nations and it can do so without groups are fighting to save the "I believe this joint venture is a
- the natural richness of indigenous plants and animals of
eating up further indication of South Africa's
these cor.rntries. Madagascar's beautiful coastal commitment to help develop the
But Europeans' perception of tJre forests from strip-mining and they African region as an important
"dark continent" is reflected in offi- have marshalied a porv'erful ally in tourist and business region," said
cial statistics of the number of peo- this shrrggle: the tourism industry. South Africa s new Minister for Pub-
ple who visitAfrica. According to the lic Enterprises. Stella Sigcau, at the
African Development Bank, a paltry /ahalets. lodges and campsiles Iaunch of Allialce. "We are part of
1,6 percent oftJre revenue generated I are mushrooming along the Africa and rvili continue to share our
from travel worldwide went into the \.lcoas{ olMozambique. olien in expertise and facilities with the rest
coffers ofAfrican states in 1993; places that could not be reached by of Africa. and also make use of the
tourism contributed just seven per- road a year ago because of land- knou,ledge and facilities of othet'
cent to the continent's foreign mines and warring soldiers. African cor-rntries."
exchange earnings. A new airline, aptly named Responsible tourism maywell be the
It wotrld appear that the magical Alliance, has recently been created greatest single contribution that South
industry of the 20th century has by SouthAfrica, Uganda and Tanza- Afi:ica can make to the reconstmction
passed the continent by. This veil of nia. The three-way jointventr-rre is an ofthe subcontinent. Yetthere
are signs
gloomv flgures. however, obscures a emblem of the co-operation that has that, in some counkies,
the opposite is
traffic in travellers that is now been created on the continent already happening.
beginning to trickle into Africa from betrveen countries that were once In Mozambique, there is now a
other parts of the world. arch-foes. popular backlash against the "beer-
Take Uganda. New game reserves Last year there was a 17 percent and-boep brigade" from South (
are popping up all over this country increase inbusiness travei from South Africa. These are people
who arrive
some of them run by South Africa to the rest of Africa and a 25 in trucks and bakkies loaded with II
-
Africans belie its reputa- percent increase in inbound tourism
-'"vhich everything they need, proceed to s
tion for being wracked by war and fromAfi:ican countries. The creation of churn up the beach in their for,rr-by- \
Aids. Alliance has come at just the right fours, and then leave with valuabie r
Then there is Ethiopia. No, not time to take advantage of this. supplies of fish stacked in their t

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isconceptions : Starry-eyed
sitors to Zanzibar arc often
laware of the deepseated *6
rlitical differences that wrack
re island and its history

IOTOGRAPHS: ANDREW BANNISTEH

,-, y--***Sf t
"l believe this joint r-enture is a
rrther indication of South Africa's
rmmitment to help der-elop the
frican region as an important
rurist and business reqion." said
cuth Africa's neu' Minist er tor Pub-
: Enterprises, Ste11a Siqcau. at the
unch of Alliance. "\\'e are part of
lrica and wi]l conlinue to share our
pertise and faciliues $ith rhe rest
'Africa, and also make use of the
nowledge and facilities oi other refrigerators. proper understanding of a country's
'rican countries." Tourism to palm-fringed beaches complexities, replaces one stereo-
Responsible tourism mavtell be the can a-lso har-e the effect of replacing type with another.
eatest single contribution that South one misconception of Africa with There are already signs that Zaru-
ilca can make to the rec:rrsmrctlon ariother: erchanging notions about ibar's mini-tourism boom is causing
the subcontinent. \'et *rere are signs the heart of darkness with snap- conflict between villagers who are
at, in some cor.infies. the opposite is shots of peaceful natives li1,ing in cut off from the sea and the foreign
readyhappening. harmonv riith themseh'es and their managers of coastal resorts.
In Mozambique. Ihere is now a enr.ironment. The trade in travel between South
rpular backlash against the "beer- Sourh.{lricans rvho retum starryz- Africa and the rest of the continent
rd-boep brigade" from South eyed from Za ndbar, an increasingly could entrench the idea that tourism
rica. These are people u.ho arrive popular holiday destination. are is the peace industry of the post-Cold
trucks and bakkies loaded with most often unaware of the deep- War era. Or it could create new enmi-
'erything they need. proceed to seated political differences that ties and new fallacies. The articles in
tum up the beach in their for-rr-by- wrack the island and its history. It this edition of OpenAJrboexplore the
urs. and then leave uith r-aluable will not help the continent if enigmas that are emerging as Afiica
rpplies of fish stacked in their tourism, instead of promoting a reopens itself to the worId.

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