Travel And Tourism in Central African Republic

Euromonitor International's Travel And Tourism in Central African Republic report offers a comprehensive guide to the market at a national level. It looks at travel accommodation, transportation, car rental, tourist attractions and retail travel. It identifies the leading companies and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market, including background information on disposable income, annual leave and holiday taking habits.

Buy online to access strategic market analysis and an interactive statistical database of market size data for travel accommodation, transportation, car rental, travel retail, tourism attractions and health and wellness tourism, tourism inflows and outflows, tourism spending and company and brand shares.

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• Get insight into trends in market performance
• Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change
• Identify market and brand leaders and understand the competitive environment

Product coverage

Car rental; Demand factors; Health & wellness tourism; Tourism flows domestic; Tourism flows inbound; Tourism flows outbound; Tourism receipts and expenditure; Tourist attractions; Transportation; Travel accommodation; Travel retail

Executive summary

Political Unrest Affects Travel and Tourism

Central African Republic (CAR) has not been a particularly safe travel destination, due to its history of political turmoil and regional internal conflicts. The continued wave of violence over recent years, particularly in the northern and north-western parts of the country, as well as fighting in neighbouring countries, has negatively impacted the growth of CAR’s travel and tourism industry, whose infrastructure is almost non-existent as a result. Despite all the unrest, landlocked CAR is still blessed with diverse natural landscapes, including savannah, desert, forest and river basins. Aside from the interesting cities such as Bangui, the biggest tourist attraction is the Dzanga-Sangha National Park, replete with all kinds of wildlife.

Tourist Numbers Down in 2008 Due to Insecurity

CAR’s inbound tourism has been suffering as a result of declining security conditions and political turmoil caused by an escalation of violence between government forces and armed rebel groups. In 2008, there was a decline of over 4% in arrivals due to the high degree of insecurity caused by rebel activities across a number of areas in the country. Many tourist attractions have been deemed off limits as a result of the violence. The governments of a significant number of Western countries issued travel warnings for CAR, advising travellers to keep away from the country due to unstable security conditions. Even with government efforts to stabilise the country, tourists are expected to continue to stay away if their safety cannot be guaranteed.

Very Few International Players Operate in the Market

Most of CAR’s tourism infrastructure has remained underdeveloped due to numerous armed insurrections, which have seen the country taken off the map in terms of foreign investment. Tourists, especially from overseas, have also been kept away. This has resulted in just a few multinational brands operating in CAR’s travel and tourism industry. Avis (car rental) and Air France (transportation) are the only multinational companies operating in the territory. The travel retail and travel accommodation sectors consist primarily of domestic players. In order to revitalise the flagging industry and attract foreign investment, the government needs to take measures that will bring peace, order and stability to the country.

Ecotourism Potential

Ecotourism is beginning to emerge as an important trend in CAR and is perceived to be the most sustainable approach to the country’s tourism development. CAR’s strategy for ecotourism is influenced by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), which has been working on numerous projects in the Congo Basin region. The aim of these initiatives is to encourage the development of tourism and the conservation of the environment in regions where the lack of major tourism infrastructure and road access has allowed most of the natural habitats to remain unspoiled. One interesting site for ecotourism in this region is the Dzanga-Sangha National Park, an ancient rainforest in the south-western part of CAR. The government has also placed a strong emphasis on the development of ecotourism, which is becoming the principal attraction for the few, mainly European, tourists who visit the country.

Peace Building and Economic Development

CAR is ranked among the 10 poorest countries in the world. Many years of violence and insecurity has turned the country into a phantom state. However, it is believed that the long-awaited political dialogue that finally took place in late 2008 could help the country to emerge from its enduring crisis. The dialogue, which was focused on politics and governance, security and armed groups, as well as socio-economic development, might bring peace and stability to CAR in the future. However, there is no guarantee that peace can be restored for long enough to allow a return to meaningful political stability, given previous events, particularly in terms of politics.

Table of contents

TRAVEL AND TOURISM IN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC : MARKET INSIGHT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Political Unrest Affects Travel and Tourism

Tourist Numbers Down in 2008 Due to Insecurity

Very Few International Players Operate in the Market

Ecotourism Potential

Peace Building and Economic Development

KEY TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS

Political Turmoil and its Impact on the Economy

Government Tourism Strategy

Nature-Based Tourism Potential

MARKET INDICATORS

Table 1 Length of Domestic Trips: 2003-2008

Table 2 Length of Outbound Departures: 2003-2008

MARKET DATA

Table 3 Balance of Tourism Payments: Value 2003-2008

Table 4 Departures by Destination: 2003-2008

Table 5 Departures by Method of Transport: 2003-2008

Table 6 Departures by Purpose of Visit: 2003-2008

Table 7 Outgoing Tourist Expenditure: Value 2003-2008

Table 8 Forecast Departures by Destination: 2008-2013

Table 9 Forecast Departures by Method of Transport: 2008-2013

Table 10 Forecast Departures by Purpose of Visit: 2008-2013

Table 11 Forecast Outgoing Tourism Expenditure: Value 2008-2013

Table 12 Domestic Trips by Purpose of Visit and by Method of Transport: 2003-2008

Table 13 Domestic Tourist Expenditure: Value: 2003-2008

Table 14 Forecast Domestic Trips by Purpose of Visit and by Method of Transport: 2008-2013

Table 15 Forecast Domestic Tourist Expenditure: Value: 2008-2013

Table 16 Forecast Tourist Attractions: Value 2008-2013

Table 17 Health and Wellness Tourism Sales: Value 2003-2008

Table 18 Forecast Health and Wellness Sales: Value 2008-2013

DEFINITIONS

Tourism parameters

Travel accommodation

Transportation

Car rental

Travel retail

Tourist attractions

Health and wellness

Internet sales

Internet sales: dynamic packaging

Internet sales: traditional package holiday

Summary 1 Research Sources

INBOUND TOURISM

Headlines

Trends

Prospects

Sector Data

Table 19 Arrivals by Country of Origin: 2003-2008

Table 20 Arrivals by Method of Transport: 2003-2008

Table 21 Arrivals by Purpose of Visit: 2003-2008

Table 22 Incoming Tourist Receipts: Value 2003-2008

Table 23 Forecast Arrivals by Country of Origin: 2008-2013

Table 24 Forecast Arrivals by Method of Transport: 2008-2013

Table 25 Forecast Arrivals by Purpose of Visit: 2008-2013

Table 26 Forecast Incoming Tourist Receipts: Value 2008-2013

TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION

Headlines

Trends

Prospects

Sector Data

Table 27 Travel Accommodation Sales by Sector: Value 2003-2008

Table 28 Travel Accommodation Outlets by Sector: Units 2003-2008

Table 29 Regional Hotel Parameters 2008

Table 30 Travel Accommodation Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2003-2008

Table 31 Hotel Company Rankings 2005-2008

Table 32 Forecast Travel Accommodation Sales by Sector: Value 2008-2013

Table 33 Forecast Travel Accommodation Outlets by Sector: Units 2008-2013

Table 34 Forecast Travel Accommodation Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2008-2013

TRANSPORTATION

Headlines

Trends

Prospects

Sector Data

Table 35 Transportation Sales by Sector: Value 2003-2008

Table 36 Transportation Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2003-2008

Table 37 Air Company Rankings 2005-2008

Table 38 Forecast Transportation Sales by Sector: Value 2008-2013

Table 39 Forecast Transportation Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2008-2013

CAR RENTAL

Headlines

Trends

Prospects

Sector Data

Table 40 Car Rental Sales: Value 2003-2008

Table 41 Car Rental Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2003-2008

Table 42 Car Rental Company Rankings 2005-2008

Table 43 Forecast Car Rental Sales: Value 2008-2013

Table 44 Forecast Car Rental Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2008-2013

TRAVEL RETAIL

Headlines

Trends

Prospects

Sector Data

Table 45 Travel Retail Outlets: Units 2003-2008

Table 46 Travel Retail Products Sales: Value 2003-2008

Table 47 Travel Retail Products Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2003-2008

Table 48 Travel Retail Products Company Rankings 2005-2008

Table 49 Forecast Travel Retail Outlets: Units 2008-2013

Table 50 Forecast Travel Retail Products Sales: Value 2008-2013

Table 51 Forecast Travel Retail Products Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2008-2013