Travel And Tourism in Congo, Democratic Republic
Euromonitor International's Travel And Tourism in Congo, Democratic 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.
Tables: 57 | Publication date: Apr 2009
Why buy this report
- 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
Potential is enormous but currently impossible to exploit
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the third largest country in Africa, with a land mass approximately the same size as Western Europe. Straddling the equator, it possesses a tropical climate and has the second largest area of rain forest in the world, after the Amazon. These rainforests contain great biodiversity and offer huge potential for exploration, adventure, safari and trekking holidays. The Congo River and its tributaries take up almost a million square kilometres of the country. There are also numerous volcanic regions, including Africa’s most active volcano, Mount Nyiragongo, which last erupted spectacularly in 2002. These natural attractions should have propelled the DRC to the forefront of African tourism, but, unfortunately, the country’s turbulent past and ongoing troubles have prevented this from happening.
Ongoing conflict hampers development
The DRC has a violent history and although, in theory, the civil war ended in 2003, the conflict continues, often involving neighbouring countries. Large-scale military operations were launched in January 2009 by armed forces of the DRC and neighbouring Rwandan government troops against FDLR (Democratic Liberation Front of Rwanda) rebels in the Northern Kivu province, in the east of the DRC. In December 2008, troops from the DRC, Uganda and Sudan launched joint military operations in the Garamba National Park in the north of the country against the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army). Both of these conflicts have displaced a large number of Congolese. Tourism development is impossible within the DRC whilst conflicts of these magnitude and violence continue.
Majority of country remains inaccessible
The DRC is a vast country, but the majority of it remains inaccessible to tourists, in part due to the security situation, but also because of the minimal and badly maintained transportation infrastructure. Road conditions are extremely poor and the roads are often unusable during the rainy seasons, as many bridges wash away. There is no reliable or safe public transport system within the country. Most of the aviation services have poor safety records, and no Congolese airline is allowed to land in Europe.
Commitment required by government and private investors
In order to develop a tourism industry successfully, the Democratic Republic of Congo requires substantial financial commitment from both the government and private investors. The current instability within the country, and the poverty experienced by the majority of the population, mean that tourism and its development is not a priority. However, accords between the government and foreign companies, notably Chinese, have been signed, promising the modernisation and construction of roads and railways, which will dramatically improve the transportation infrastructure.
National Parks remain likely future tourist focus
The DRC has seven National Parks, five of which are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage sites. In particular, the Virunga national park, which was the first national park to be created in Africa, is renowned for its endangered mountain gorillas. Other animals living in the park include antelope, baboon, buffalo, chimpanzee, crocodile, elephant, hippopotamus, hyena, jackal, leopard, lion, warthog and a wide variety of birds. Tour operators are still providing safari trips and comfortable accommodation for tourists, despite the relative proximity of conflict and the fact that the park’s headquarters have been taken by the rebel fighters. Recent surveys have shown that the gorilla population increased substantially during 2008.
Table of contents
TRAVEL AND TOURISM IN CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC : MARKET INSIGHT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Potential is enormous but currently impossible to exploit
Ongoing conflict hampers development
Majority of country remains inaccessible
Commitment required by government and private investors
National Parks remain likely future tourist focus
KEY TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS
Conflict and disease continues to damage the country’s reputation
Enormous potential but limited support
Tourism infrastructure remains inadequate
National Parks are future eco-tourist lure
MARKET INDICATORS
Table 1 Length of Domestic Trip: 2002-2007
Table 2 Length of Outbound Departure: 2002-2007
MARKET DATA
Table 3 Arrivals by Country of Origin: 2002-2007
Table 4 Arrivals by Method of Transport: 2002-2007
Table 5 Arrivals by Purpose of Visit: 2002-2007
Table 6 Incoming Tourist Receipts: Value 2002-2007
Table 7 Forecast Arrivals by Country of Origin: 2007-2012
Table 8 Forecast Arrivals by Method of Transport: 2007-2012
Table 9 Forecast Arrivals by Purpose of Visit: 2007-2012
Table 10 Forecast Incoming Tourist Receipts: Value 2007-2012
Table 11 Departures by Destination: 2002-2007
Table 12 Departures by Method of Transport: 2002-2007
Table 13 Departures by Purpose of Visit: 2002-2007
Table 14 Outgoing Tourist Expenditure: Value 2002-2007
Table 15 Forecast Departures by Destination: 2007-2012
Table 16 Forecast Departures by Method of Transport: 2007-2012
Table 17 Forecast Departures by Purpose of Visit: 2007-2012
Table 18 Forecast Outgoing Tourist Expenditure: Value 2007-2012
Table 19 Domestic Trips by Purpose of Visit and by Method of Transport: 2002-2007
Table 20 Domestic Tourist Expenditure: Value: 2002-2007
Table 21 Forecast Domestic Trips by Purpose of Visit and by Method of Transport: 2007-2012
Table 22 Forecast Domestic Tourist Expenditure: Value: 2007-2012
Table 23 Tourist Attractions: Value 2002-2007
Table 24 Tourist Attractions Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2002-2007
Table 25 Forecast Tourist Attractions: Value 2007-2012
Table 26 Forecast Tourist Attractions Internet Transaction Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2007-2012
Table 27 Health and Wellness Tourism Sales: Value 2002-2007
Table 28 Forecast Health and Wellness Sales: Value 2007-2012
Table 29 Balance of Tourism Payments: Value 2002-2007
DEFINITIONS
Tourism Parameters
Travel accommodation
Transportation
Car rental
Travel retail
Internet sales
Summary 1 Research Sources
TRAVEL ACCOMMODATION IN CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Headlines
Trends
Prospects
Sector Data
Table 30 Travel Accommodation Sales by Sector: Value 2002-2007
Table 31 Travel Accommodation Outlets by Sector: Units 2002-2007
Table 32 Regional Hotel Parameters 2007
Table 33 Travel Accommodation by Sector: Number of Rooms 2005-2007
Table 34 Travel Accommodation by Sector: Number of Beds 2005-2007
Table 35 Travel Accommodation Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2002-2007
Table 36 Hotel Company Rankings 2005-2007
Table 37 Forecast Travel Accommodation Sales by Sector: Value 2007-2012
Table 38 Forecast Travel Accommodation Outlets by Sector: Units 2007-2012
Table 39 Forecast Travel Accommodation Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2007-2012
TRANSPORTATION IN CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Headlines
Trends
Prospects
Sector Data
Table 40 Transportation Sales by Sector: Value 2002-2007
Table 41 Transportation Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2002-2007
Table 42 Airline Company Rankings 2005-2007
Table 43 Forecast Transportation Sales by Sector: Value 2007-2012
Table 44 Forecast Transportation Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2007-2012
CAR RENTAL IN CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Headlines
Trends
Prospects
Sector Data
Table 45 Car Rental Sales: Value 2002-2007
Table 46 Car Rental Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2002-2007
Table 47 Car Rental Company Rankings 2005-2007
Table 48 Forecast Car Rental Sales: Value 2007-2012
Table 49 Forecast Car Rental Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2007-2012
TRAVEL RETAIL IN CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Headlines
Trends
Prospects
Sector Data
Table 50 Travel Retail Outlets: Units 2002-2007
Table 51 Travel Retail Products Sales: Value 2002-2007
Table 52 Travel Retail Products Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2002-2007
Table 53 Travel Retail Products Company Rankings 2005-2007
Table 54 Forecast Travel Retail Outlets: Units 2007-2012
Table 55 Forecast Travel Retail Products Sales: Value 2007-2012
Table 56 Forecast Travel Retail Products Internet Sales: Internet Transaction Value 2007-2012