Health and hygiene strategies for tourism promotion: Guidelines for Africa

Abstract

The tourism sector plays a significant role in Africa’s economic development. However, African countries are weak contenders in global tourism, hence, it is important to develop mechanisms to elevate the continent tourism performance. The World Economic Forum identifies health and hygiene as one of the 14 pillars necessary to enhance tourism competitiveness. Through the use of literature review approach, this study investigates the tourism related health and hygiene practices utilised by Mauritius and Egypt that contributed to their success story in tourism competitiveness. The findings highlight practices inclusive of; development of health and hygiene policies, regulations and guidelines, enforcement of policy implementations, government funding health related initiatives, and COVID-19 regulations as supportive structures of the two countries’ tourism competitiveness. This study further provides short- and medium-term recommendations that could be adopted to improve the health and hygiene environment to support tourism activities.