The "Obama effect" of a US president with African heritage and the 2010 World Cup are boosting tourism in Africa, industry experts say.

美国总统奥巴马对于非洲遗产的“奥巴马效应”以及2010年世界杯的举行，促进了非洲旅游业的发展。

Africa was the only continent to see an increase in tourists in 2009

"There has been a shift in the way people look at Africa," says the head of the UN World Tourism Organisation¹.

"Africa is now considered a very serious destination for travellers from the major generating markets," Taleb Rifai told a conference in Madrid.

Last week UNWTO联合国世界旅游组织 said Africa had "bucked² the global trend" in tourism in 2009.

It was the only continent to see a rise in the number of international tourist arrivals last year - with travellers increasing by 5%.

That compared to fall of 4% worldwide, attributed to归因于 the economic crisis and the swine flu pandemic流行病.

However Mr Rifai said Africa's share of the tourist market was still only 5% - or around 50 million tourists from a total of nearly 900 million.

Kenya's tourist board says that the fact that President Obama's father was from Kenya has led to an increase in Americans visiting the country.

Meanwhile the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA) says this year's World Cup, which takes place in South Africa, will have an "enormous effect".

"The World Cup is certainly the most exciting thing to happen to Africa, not just southern Africa, all Africans are very proud that it's going to be there," the ATTA's head, Nigel Vere Nicoll, told the AFP news agency.