The role of small and medium enterprises in development of tourism in a post-war context : the case of Angola

Abstract

Post-war countries face a challenge in the process of re-entering the tourism market for several reasons. The damages caused by the violent war environment create the challenges of restoring their image, their economy and of asserting security. As a result, post-war countries have limited monetary resources for development. For this reason, they turn to tourism to help in their development and utilise Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the process to establish the foundations for tourism development. SMEs play an important role in the development process because they provide products and services and create jobs. This study explores the factors related to developing tourism in a post-war context, along with the importance of SMEs in this process. Angola is used as case study of a post-war country that has great potential, yet remains unable to compete effectively as an attractive tourism destination