The non-prioritization of the tourism industry and its impacts on tourism research, development and management in the Central African sub-region

Tourism research is a relatively new, under-explored and under-researched discipline in sub-Saharan Africa in general but most especially in the Central African sub-region in particular in spite of its recognised potential for sustainable nature/eco tourism development. This is partly because the industry lacks the necessary patronage enjoyed by other economic sectors. As a result most governments of in the sub-region had until very recently paid very little attention to tourism research, development, and management in their countries. In spite of the fact that the travel and tourism industry has proven to be a very important corner stone in the economy of many developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa such as Senegal, Gambia, Kenya and Botswana which have already recognised its potential, it is only very recently that countries in the Central African sub-region, have realised the potentials of the tourism industry as a motor for socio-economic development and are taking some steps towards fostering some research and development in this domain. Presently, the travel and tourism industry in the countries of the sub-region contribute on average less than 3% of GDP and total employment respectively. Using qualitative semi-structured interviews with key industry stakeholders in Cameroon as the case study; this paper examines the state of research and development in the tourism industry of the sub-region, the factors hampering the execution of some research projects that have been undertaken so far and with what degree of success, and proposes a way forward.