Africa: tourism and heritage

Tourism is a subject of interest for anthropology as it touches upon important issues and concepts such as authenticity, ethnicity, memory and the "invention of tradition" - which are components of social changes and the focus of both anthropology and cultural studies. In Africa, heritage policies used to be a product of the hegemonic colonial experience that involved the entire continent. Today's tourism is affected by important economic interest that can shape the heritage policies of exotic countries (sometimes even in contrast with local interests) and influence local economies and environmental.