CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
Gabon |
ECONOMY
Up to the middle eighties, Gabon experienced a period of euphoria
and economic
prosperity because of oil revenue.
The powers -that-be have, for a long
time, neglected tourism.
Now they’ve at last decided to something about
developing the industry,
in spite of the fact that there’s been a Ministry
of Tourism
for more than 30 years!
The Government’s new involvement in developing tourism activities, is also a challenge to the travel agencies and tourist offices, and is a way of opening up the country to the world.
This new departure has become urgent and necessary in order to diversify the economy, now that the oil reserves are running out. In spite of the interest of politicians and press campaigns, the flow of tourists into Gabon represents only 1% of the comings and goings. But now an association of professional people called «Destination Gabon» has been set up to improve tourism in Gabon and to promote existing products. Publicity brochures for use by travel agents and the public have been produced. Finance for the campaign has been provided by the French Co-operation Mission, the European Union and private companies.
Tourism can result in economic growth
Gabon has no past tradition for tourism and needs to invest in this sector. Now, for the first time, the state will supervise the modernisation of travel agents and tourism, and involve commercial interests in order to promote tourism activity in the country.
In the post-oil situation, tourism becomes one of the priority sectors of the economy to ensure the stability and growth of Gabon’s economy. Gabon certainly has tourist possibilities, but a lot of effort has to be made to satisfy the needs of clients and to be more competitive in pricing its services.
However, the absence of co-ordination between government departments puts a brake on the expansion of tourism, in spite of the vast sums spent each year in this domain. Tourists have to cope with a barrage of administrative annoyances. On the other hand, long-term training is necessary to develop tourism. This sector needs bilingual guides and local leaders, whence the necessity of a university course and the need to set up a professional school of tourism. Recently, Mr Francesco Frangialli, Secretary-General of the World Organisation for Tourism (OMT), visited Libreville. Gabon’s Minister for Commerce and Tourism, Alfred Mabicka, took the opportunity of making a number of requests, among which a wish that Gabon could benefit from appropriate training facilities and bursaries for it’s students and officials.
So that tourism can develop, Gabon must build roads and ensure that areas of natural beauty and of interest are easily accessible. Tourism is big business! In 1990, there were about 400 million people worldwide who hit the tourist trail. If the appropriate authorities are really serious, then they will see how tourism can be a major dollar earner in a country such as Gabon, which is now preparing for the time when the oil fields run dry. However, the possibilities are under-exploited for Gabon is one of the least known destinations in Africa...and the most expensive.
A window open on the world
Gabon covers an area of some 267,000 sq. km. Cameroon lies on its northern frontier, Congo-Brazza to the east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Gabon has a lovely coastline stretching from CocoBeach to Mayumba — just waiting for the holiday makers. The most beautiful sandy beaches extend from Cap Estérias to La Sabličre, passing through Cap Lopez, Pointe Denis, Sette Cama and Mayumba. These areas provide excellent possibilities for swimming and sea fishing. Also, 80% of the land mass is covered with forests. In particular, there are giant trees such as the Okoumé and Mahogany.
Because of the lack of all-weather roads, the railway line which, for the past 27 years, has been criss-crossing Gabon’s forest areas on the Batékč plateaux in the south, and on towards the capital on the Atlantic coast, has been of major economic interest. Each year, two to four thousand tourists go to Lambarené by car or by rail to visit Albert Schweitzer‘s famous hospital, before pushing on to Lake Evaro. There are lots of places worth visiting. Potential tourist attractions are numerous and now Gabon can be recommended to tourists as a desirable destination. Some hotel facilities are available in the places visited, and lodging is also available in ordinary homes. Though not mentioned in the tour operators’ brochures, Gabon as a holiday destination could take off because visitors can get to many places by rail.
There remains the problem that air fares between Europe, America and Gabon are among the highest in the world because of excessive operating costs. The multiplicity of African airlines — every country vying to have its own national airline and jealously guarding its own routes — means that financially speaking, they are a non-starter. Opening up landing rights, routes and destinations to airlines from other countries could provide individual African countries with an opportunity to develop air travel and initiate contacts with other parts of the world, thus ensuring a not-to-be neglected driving force for Africa’s economic development.
 | Antoine Lawson, Gabon, August 2000 — © Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment |
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