Sustainable Tourism as a Tool for Post-Conflict Economic Reconstruction. A Situational Analysis of Sudan

As Sudan is grappling with a conflict that is taking its toll on the economy and is displacing millions of individuals, pathways to a sustainable reconstruction of the country are needed for the stability of a future peace. Tourism in Sudan has been confined to small initiatives during all its history, despite the invaluable heritage that its territory holds. This article aims at investigating the potential of tourism as an engine for the sustainable development of the country and the improvement of the livelihoods of local communities, as it has been for other nations in recent history. The main goal of the study is to answer the following questions: What are the primary barriers to the development of a sustainable tourism industry in Sudan? What are the potential social and economic benefits of a community-based tourism model in Sudan? Filling the gap in research around tourism in Sudan and its influence on its post-war recovery, the insights presented draw from interviews with key informants and from a situational analysis of the Sudanese tourism sector.