Africa's Heritage and Tourism

This introductory chapter sets the tone for the book by examining the meanings and practices of heritage and heritage tourism, and how it manifests generally and more specifically in Africa. The chapter first discusses the natural and cultural environmental setting(s) of the continent and how various types of heritage derived from the uniqueness of Africa and the manifestation of heritage there. Africa’s physical and cultural geography have profoundly affected the region’s cultural heritage and how it is, or is not, celebrated, commemorated, or sold to tourists. Following this discussion, the chapter examines broad trends in tourism throughout the region and then hones in on cultural heritage-based tourism in Africa and outlines the main contributions of each chapter of the book.