ABSTRACT
African diasporas have emerged worldwide due to a long history of migration and contemporary dispersals. Many African countries are taking a keen interest in their diasporas due to their potential for the socio-economic development of the continent through tourism, remittances, investments, knowledge transfer, as well as technology and skills transfer. This chapter provides a broad discussion and conceptualisation of African diaspora tourism beyond slavery heritage-driven roots tourism to include those diaspora travel emanating from economic migration and colonial connections between Africa and Europe. The chapter further examines African diaspora tourism as a socio-cultural and travel phenomenon, describing the characteristics and features of African diasporic tourism, efforts at promoting this form of travel, and the relationship between hosts (Africans) and guests (diaspora Africans). The relationship between Africans on the continent and those in the diaspora have not always been cordial and this chapter proposes that this often tense relationship requires further research. This is especially important as many African countries continue to develop diaspora tourism through varied strategies including the establishment of institutions to promote diaspora tourism, diaspora business development policies, easing entry requirements, and the staging of special events and programmes for promotion. In sum, this chapter soughts to decentre the overemphasis on Black Atlantic slavery heritage-induced diaspora tourism experiences to look at other heritage-related travel patterns in various African diasporas that have developed from distant and contemporary dispersals.
