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Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series

Accommodation services for competitive tourism in Sub-Saharan Africa: Historical evidence from Malawi
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Accommodation services for competitive tourism in Sub-Saharan Africa: Historical evidence from Malawi

Authors

  • Alice Magombo Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture, Lilongwe
  • Christian M. Rogerson University of Johannesburg, School of Tourism & Hospitality, Kerzner Administration Building, Bunting Road Campus, Bunting Road, Auckland Park, 2006, Johannesburg
  • Jayne M. Rogerson University of Johannesburg, Department of Geography, Environmental Management and Energy Studies, D3 Lab Office 331, Kingsway Campus, Kingsway, Auckland Park, 2006, Johannesburg

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1515/bog-2017-0035

Abstract

The accommodation services sector is a vital underpinning of the competitiveness of destinations in especially emerging tourism regions of the global economy. Within the environment of Africa building the competitiveness of countries as tourism destinations is inseparable from the challenge of establishing a network of different forms of accommodation at competitive prices and internationally acceptable quality standards. This paper uses a longitudinal approach to analyse the development of the accommodation services sector in one African country Malawi which is scaling up its tourism industry. Using historical evidence the objective is to examine the unfolding evolution of accommodation services as a factor in enhancing tourism destination competitiveness. The chequered pathway followed in Malawi to building the countrys network of hotels and small-scale accommodation establishments is traced from the colonial period to post-independence developments. It is argued that in understanding the historical evolution of accommodation services policy re-orientations have been significant drivers of change. 

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Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series

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2017-10-09

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MAGOMBO, Alice, ROGERSON, Christian M. and ROGERSON, Jayne M. Accommodation services for competitive tourism in Sub-Saharan Africa: Historical evidence from Malawi. Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series. Online. 9 October 2017. Vol. 38, no. 38, pp. 73-92. [Accessed 4 July 2025]. DOI 10.1515/bog-2017-0035.
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