The country is a beautiful tourist destination with vast diversity of fauna and flora, scenic beauty, diverse culture, historical sites and variable climate. It has wonderful wetlands which are inhabited all year round with thousands of birds species including some migratory birds.
The Nile and the other Rivers represent a major attraction and provide a venue for other tourist activities such as cruise launching, sport fishing, white water rafting, birds watching and excellent photography. The rivers have several waterfalls and rapids, the most notable one being the Fulla Falls at Nimule National park.
Characteristics of the sector
- The sector is blessed with wildlife immigrations to the country
- Juba City is located on the banks of River Nile making easy for visitors to enjoy the beauty of the Nile.
- The country is served by Juba and Malakal International Airports.
Current situation in the tourism sector
- South Sudan is in the process of developing a tourism Act
- Tourism policy has been drafted and submitted to the Council of Ministers for approval
- The country has no tourism training institution
- There is urgent need to create awareness of tourism potential through marketing
- Wildlife Conservation Directorate of the government of South Sudan and the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife Conservation and Tourism are responsible for the management of the wildlife and the protected areas of South Sudan.
Transport in South Sudan
South Sudan has wide range of means of transport including air, road and water. The Juba and Malakal International Airports link the country to other destinations in the world. The common means of transport on the road include buses and taxis. There is also railway transport and water transport on the Nile
Challenges in Tourism sector
- Insufficient marketing of the sector
- Weak regulatory frame work
- Perceived insecurity in South Sudan
- Inadequate accommodation facilities
- Lack of trained and experienced people to manage the sector
- Inadequate funding by government for the sector
- Poor transport infrastructure