The Republic of Niger is landlocked at the edge of the Sahel region in Africa. Over 80% of its state territory is covered by the Sahara desert. The nondesert regions in the south are threatened by desertification, drought, inundation, and hunger. Political instability, coup d’états, insurrections, and terrorist threats are influencing the tourism policy of the country. Niger’s economy is concentrated on subsistence and some export of agricultural goods and uranium ore, and tourism plays an insignificant role. In 2013, 110,000 travelers visited Niger by air, and only 13% came as tourists. This entry discusses tourism trends and concerns, top destinations in the country, and World Heritage sites.

The national tourism policy follows a national strategy of a sustainable tourism development, focusing on the development of ...