Introduction: New Frontiers in Hospitality and Tourism Management in Africa

Hospitality and tourism (H&T) have been components of African political economy and socio-cultural life for several centuries. Despite demographic and sociological peculiarities within Africa, the considerable growth in the H&T sectors since 2000 has made Africa to become a vital part of the global tourism economy. This has been fuelled by several factors, including its rich and diverse tourism products, increasingly business friendly government policies, changing the global perception of Africa as a tourist destination, ICTs and digitization and the development of commercial and social H&T related enterprises in Africa. This is the first book of its kind to provide a management perspective to the full historical, contemporary and geographical breadth of the H&T landscape of Africa. It draws on multi-disciplinary scholarship and addresses key management themes in H&T organizations, be they businesses, not-for-profit organizations, or government bodies. It should serve a fascinating reading for students, educators, businesses and policy makers with interest in H&T management in Africa.