With infrastructure central to its goals of poverty eradication and Regional Integration, SADC developed the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan as a strategic framework guiding infrastructure development in Southern Africa. The Tourism Sector Plan component of this Master Plan aims to outline an approach for development of transfrontier conservation areas – key drivers of tourism in the SADC region.
The Sector Plan analyses the current situation in SADC regarding conservation, tourism trends, and tourism policies, offering projections for the future and an assessment of gaps between the current situation and infrastructure goals for 2027. It then sets out a strategic framework for improvements to tourism infrastructure, as well as an implementation strategy that prioritises projects, resource requirements, and methods of implementation. These infrastructure improvements intend to capitalise on growth in this sector as it shifts toward experiential holidays, which the SADC region has abundant potential to provide.