Increasing Security Levels in the Tourism and Air-Transport Industries Could Enhance African People’s Quality of Life and Tourism Demand

Abstract

The aims of this study are to analyze the tourism and air-transport industries in Africa and determine how African governments could improve the safety of tourists and local communities in this region to improve resident quality of life and tourism demand. Indeed, this study tries to improve African people’s lives through the tourism and travel sectors so that they can thrive in terms of their quality of life and happiness. The findings of the current study reveal that Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, and Tunisia are the most visited countries by international tourists; in fact, these four countries are the ones that generated the most income from international tourism in the period analyzed. Moreover, the results suggest that the tourism and air-transport industries in Africa could improve national economies, infrastructure, and resident quality of life thanks to international tourism receipts and increasing security levels around travel and tourism activities. Obviously, the tourism industry cannot be developed when there is constant insecurity, terrorism, and perpetual armed conflicts, as is the case in Nigeria, Somalia, DR Congo, Libya, Mali, and Cameroon, among many others. Security is the most important factor for a tourist destination because the safety and security of residents and tourists are the primary factors affecting tourism growth. The novelty of this research resides in its willingness to improve African people’s quality of life through air-transport and tourism activities, providing security guarantees for tourist and resident safety. This manuscript also contributes to enhancing and bootstrapping the literature on security in the travel and tourism sectors industry, particularly in Africa, where security is a priority more than a necessity.