South Sudan South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the ...

, a country in

northeastern Africa The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004) ...

, became an independent country in 2011. South Sudan has the world's second largest animal migration and therefore is considered a good place for

ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...

, but the lack of infrastructure for

tourism Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mor ...

and ongoing civil war are considered the challenges for the tourism industry in South Sudan.

Industry

The tourism industry makes up a small share of the GDP of South Sudan, only 1.8% as of 2013. According to a report by the

World Travel and Tourism Council The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is a forum for the travel and tourism industry. It is made up of members from the global business community and works with governments to raise awareness about the travel and tourism industry. It is know ...

, the contribution of the travel and tourism in GDP is expected to grow to 4.1% by the year 2024. Juba International Airport, the largest airport in South Sudan, has expanded from no international airlines operating in it in 2005 to 32 operating there in 2015. South Sudan does not have any five star hotels. The country has only two or three star hotels.

Advisories

The

US State Department The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other nati ...

warns US citizens against visiting South Sudan due to continued armed conflicts in the country. As per an advisory published in December 2015, the US embassy in South Sudan is unable to provide any required assistance to US citizens in or outside Juba due to lack of the basic infrastructure and security threats outside the embassy. Canadian and British advisories also recommend to avoid all travel to South Sudan and border areas, and they also warn about their inability to provide assistance to their citizens in South Sudan.

Attractions

There is no

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...

recognized

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

in South Sudan. However, South Sudan has 14 national parks/protected areas and the world's second largest animal migration. According to the ''Times of Malta'', "South Sudan has the world's second largest animal migration, an epic migration of the antelopes, but there is not a single tourist to see it". Boma National Park is as big as Rwanda. Other major parks includes,

Bandingilo National Park The Bandingilo National Park, sometimes spelled Badingilo, is a national park located in South Sudan's Equatoria region. The park covered the erstwhile states of Central Equatoria and Eastern Equatoria. It was established in 1992. Situated in a w ...

Lantoto National Park Lantoto National Park is a protected area in Central Equatoria, South Sudan. The park has an area of and is predominantly woodland, forest and open glades. The park was named by the Sudan's central government in the Wildlife Act of 1986 and Wildl ...

Nimule National Park The Nimule National Park is a national park in South Sudan South Sudan (; din, Paguot Thudän), officially the Republic of South Sudan ( din, Paankɔc Cuëny Thudän), is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered by Ethiopia, ...

, Shambe National Park,

Southern National Park The Southern National Park is a national park in South Sudan. It was established in 1939. This site has an area of 23,000 km2. History A.B. Anderson, a former Assistant Game Warden, reported that in 1950 that the Southern National Park was s ...

, etc. There are also several game reserves which includes Ez Zeraf Game Reserve,

Ashana Game Reserve The Ashana Game Reserve is a protected area in South Sudan, Africa. It is both a game reserve and an Important Bird Area. The savannah woodland habitat features key species of elephant and giant eland The giant eland (''Taurotragus derbia ...

, Bengangai Game Reserve, Bire Kpatuos Game Reserve, Chelkou Game Reserve, Fanyikang Game Reserve, Juba Game Reserve,

Kidepo Game Reserve The Kidepo Game Reserve is a protected area located in Ikotos & Budi County, Eastern Equatoria State, South Sudan, Africa. With an area of 1200 km2, this reserve is located 4° 04'N and 33° 28'E on the South Sudan/Uganda border, where it forms a ...

, Mbarizunga Game Reserve, and Numatina Game Reserve among others. South Sudan is also known for its vast swamp region of the Sudd, an area 320 km wide and 400 km long. It is known as one of the largest wetlands in the world and nearly 400 species of birds can be found there.

References

{{Tourism in Africa

Industry

Advisories

Attractions

See also

References