African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 and tourism development in Africa: contribution, contradiction and implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the contributions of Agenda 2063 in tourism development in Africa while examining the inherent contradictions in its implementation. Ultimately, it brings out a meaningful synthesis of the overall implications and proposes recommendations for an equitable and sustainable tourism development in Africa. Design/methodology/approach – This study draws from desk-based research and content analysis of documents and research studies related to Agenda 2063. A hypothetico-deductive approach was adopted, as this allowed for the deconstruction of text and context. Findings – The findings reveal several internal inconsistencies which cuts like a double-edge sword. Empirical results show that Africa can emerge as a desirable destination if the aspirations of Agenda 2063 are appropriately popularized and operationalized. African countries need to align their tourism plans with the aspirations projected in the plan. It is imperative that the African Union (AU) oversees that there is consistent and sustainable tourism development across all member states. Research limitations/implications – The study draws from and relies solely on available secondary data. This implies that unofficial and unpublicized secondary data (proceedings, concept notes, position papers and archived documents) developed from AU’s conferences and workshops have not been considered. The outcome might therefore be indicative, but not necessarily reflective of trends and hidden realities of Africa. Practical implications – The outcome of this empirical study provides an improved understanding of opportunities and challenges faced by African countries seeking to develop tourism as an economic activity. It unveils discrepancies which need address and further articulates recommendations which are practical and workable to achieve the aspiration of Agenda 2063 to be a “United Africa.” Social implications – The study provides valuable information for the socio-economic transformation of the continent, one of the aspirations of Agenda 2063. It further seeks to promote social and economic development based on a spirit of Pan-Africanism. Originality/value – Unlike previous studies, this exploratory piece of paper provides a meaningful synthesis of Agenda 2063 from a unique perspective – the double-edge sword approach; it examines the potentials and opportunities the agenda triggers for tourism and at the same time, reveals its contradictions.