Tourism - in terms of its contribution to GDP, employment and trade - is a critical sector for many African economies, and its growth is increasingly driven by tourists originating from the continent itself. However, most African countries still face significant challenges and constraints in exploiting the potential of tourism services in trade and economic development. The Economic Development in Africa Report 2017, subtitled Tourism for Transformative and Inclusive Growth examines the role that tourism can play in Africa’s development process. It aims to identify key barriers and impediments to unlocking the potential of tourism in Africa to help structurally transform the continent’s economy and provides policy recommendations on how these barriers and impediments could be addressed. It argues that tourism can be an engine for inclusive growth and that it can complement development strategies aimed at fostering economic diversification and structural transformation within an appropriate policy context.