Angola - Tourism, travel, and recreation

Tourism was an important activity until 1972, when the guerrilla war and the subsequent civil war led to a precipitous drop in the number of tourists and hence of tourist revenues. Throughout the late 1990s, a yo-yo effect seemed to hit the tourist industry. In 1996, only about 21,000 visitors came to the country. In 1997, the number jumped to 45,000 and increased to 52,000 the following year. In 2000, however, only 50,765 tourists arrived in Angola. Tourism receipts totaled approximately $18 million. The US Department of State estimated the daily cost of staying in Luanda at about $326 per day in 2002. Staying in rural areas would cost much less.