Chad, the fifth-largest country in Africa by area, had about 100,000 international visitors in 2013, according to the World Tourism Organization. Its relatively low tourist numbers compared to some of Africa’s other large countries are largely the result of its history of political instability and conflicts between the predominantly Muslim Arab north and the mostly animist and Christian south. The U.S. Department of State has warned Americans against visiting the country since 2010. In addition to political violence and terrorism, factors that have hindered development of tourism in Chad include crime; crumbling infrastructure; limited air service and public transportation; a dearth of quality accommodations; and the searing heat that dominates the weather in Chad, which borders the Sahara Desert.

Many of the country’s visitors go there ...