Shakya, Mallika
Competitiveness Assessment of Tourism in Sierra Leone A Cluster-Based Approach / Shakya, Mallika [electronic resource] : Shakya, Mallika - Washington, D.C., The World Bank, 2009 - 1 online resource (33 p.) - Policy research working papers. World Bank e-Library. .
Seven years out of brutal conflict, Sierra Leone is now a peaceful and stable country. Yet, its strides toward economic recovery and competitiveness have been modest even in sectors such as tourism, which used to be a major generator of foreign exchange revenues prior to the conflict. This paper presents a cluster-based analysis of the tourism sector in Sierra Leone. The analysis shows that tourism in Sierra Leone draws entirely on basic factor conditions such as natural endowments; high-end lodging, catering, and entertainment services are virtually nonexistent. The cluster mapping exercise reveals that several non-profit organizations are present and active within the Sierra Leone tourism cluster but that the role of commercial enterprises has been somewhat limited. A critical mass of basic service providers has emerged over time, but their functions are often hindered by the absence of a market-based incentive regime and weaknesses in backbone infrastructure services. There is a mismatch of effort by the public and private sectors. An important policy implication arising from the analysis is for Sierra Leone to initiate a joint action among tourism entrepreneurs and policymakers to develop a coherent business strategy toward overcoming the bottlenecks of skill deficiency, policy ineffectiveness, and lack of infrastructure and market access.
10.1596/1813-9450-5083
Advisory Services
Attractions
Basic
Cultural Heritage and Preservation
Cultural Policy
Culture & Development
Economic recovery
Environment
International tourism
Local history
Mass tourism
Mining
Public Sector Development
Restaurants
Social capital
Tour
Tour operators
Tourism
Tourism and Ecotourism
Tourism development
Tourism entrepreneurs
Tourism industry
Tourists
Tours
Transport Economics, Policy and Planning
Travels
World history
Competitiveness Assessment of Tourism in Sierra Leone A Cluster-Based Approach / Shakya, Mallika [electronic resource] : Shakya, Mallika - Washington, D.C., The World Bank, 2009 - 1 online resource (33 p.) - Policy research working papers. World Bank e-Library. .
Seven years out of brutal conflict, Sierra Leone is now a peaceful and stable country. Yet, its strides toward economic recovery and competitiveness have been modest even in sectors such as tourism, which used to be a major generator of foreign exchange revenues prior to the conflict. This paper presents a cluster-based analysis of the tourism sector in Sierra Leone. The analysis shows that tourism in Sierra Leone draws entirely on basic factor conditions such as natural endowments; high-end lodging, catering, and entertainment services are virtually nonexistent. The cluster mapping exercise reveals that several non-profit organizations are present and active within the Sierra Leone tourism cluster but that the role of commercial enterprises has been somewhat limited. A critical mass of basic service providers has emerged over time, but their functions are often hindered by the absence of a market-based incentive regime and weaknesses in backbone infrastructure services. There is a mismatch of effort by the public and private sectors. An important policy implication arising from the analysis is for Sierra Leone to initiate a joint action among tourism entrepreneurs and policymakers to develop a coherent business strategy toward overcoming the bottlenecks of skill deficiency, policy ineffectiveness, and lack of infrastructure and market access.
10.1596/1813-9450-5083
Advisory Services
Attractions
Basic
Cultural Heritage and Preservation
Cultural Policy
Culture & Development
Economic recovery
Environment
International tourism
Local history
Mass tourism
Mining
Public Sector Development
Restaurants
Social capital
Tour
Tour operators
Tourism
Tourism and Ecotourism
Tourism development
Tourism entrepreneurs
Tourism industry
Tourists
Tours
Transport Economics, Policy and Planning
Travels
World history