Gabon’s economy has reached a critical juncture in 2016, with the drop in global oil prices having increased the need for and urgency of economic diversification, while reducing the availability of public financing to back the transformation. Under the now seven-year-old economic strategy, the Emerging Gabon Strategic Plan, the government has hastened efforts to expand the scope of economic activity,…
In English Une série de nouveaux contrats de vols devrait favoriser la croissance du secteur du tourisme gabonais, visé par les efforts de diversification actuellement déployés par le gouvernement. Fin avril, l’Agence nationale de l’aviation civile du Gabon a conclu un contrat de transport aérien avec le ministère algérien des Travaux publics et des Transports, qui offre aux compagnies…
In a bid to diversify Gabon’s economy away from hydrocarbons, the government has been looking to boost the tourism sector as a means to generate foreign currency, create jobs and promote social and economic development across the country. The sector is expected to develop in the next few years on the back of expanded hotel capacity, upgraded transport infrastructure and better air links, following…
Gabon benefits from considerable hydrocarbons reserves, with the World Bank citing Gabon as the fifth-largest oil producer in Africa. Oil accounted for 70% of exports, 20% of GDP, and 40% of budget revenues in 2015. However, declining production and lower oil prices have seen economic growth slow. Diversifying the economy is therefore a priority for the Bongo Ondimba administration, as evidenced b
In a bid to diversify Gabon’s economy away from hydrocarbons, the government has been looking to boost the tourism sector as a means to generate foreign currency, create jobs and promote social and economic development across the country. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, in 2015 the total (direct and indirect) contribution of travel and tourism to GDP was 2.7%, a figure that authorities…
In 2015 Gabon’s tourism sector directly supported 4000 jobs, accounting for 1% of total employment, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council. With the rollout of the National Tourism Strategy (Stratégie Nationale du Tourisme, SNT) 2015-25, authorities expect the tourism sector to create around 20,000 jobs by 2025, an ambitious goal requiring additional capacity in terms of education and…
One of the most biodiverse countries in West Africa, Gabon’s forests cover around 85% of the country’s territory and are home to more than 3000 different species of vegetation and at least 190 species of mammals, including forest elephants and hippopotamuses. As of 2015 the country had 23.6m ha of forests, according to a recent study by the country’s space agency, the Gabonese Agency for Spacial…
In recent years, government investment in the tourism sector has been primarily aimed at upgrading infrastructure and developing high-end tourism. Though visitors to Gabon remain primarily business-oriented, the industry shows considerable potential for growth, with notable opportunities for ecotourism. According to official figures, as much as 20% of international travel to Gabon is dedicated to visits…
Interview: Lee White How do you see the tourism sector evolving? LEE WHITE: There are three primary tourism sectors here in Gabon. When you look at the tourism statistics, most of the visitors coming to the country are business tourists. They are visiting Gabon in a professional capacity and it is a rule that business tourists do not travel much around the country, instead sticking to Libreville…
Developing the tourism sector in Gabon has become a growing priority for authorities as they aim to diversify the country’s economy. Investments have primarily targeted upgrading infrastructure and developing high-end ecotourism under the country’s Green Gabon strategy for sustainable development. As the state partners with the private sector to develop products that capitalise on the country’s…