African Tourism Board an der UNWTO Kommissioun fir Afrika Sëtzung

d' UNWTO Regional Commission of Africa meeting was held as tourism’s recovery gets underway across the continent. The African Tourism Board (ATB) Executive Chairman, Mr. Cuthbert Ncube, attended the meeting following a tour in northern Tanzania. 

African Tourism Board is a pan-African tourism organization with a mandate to market and promote all 54 Destinations, thereby changing the narratives.

Bearing a theme of “Rebuilding Africa’s Tourism Resilience for Inclusive Socio-Economic Development,” the high-level tourism meeting in Africa brought together around 25 Ministers of Tourism and high-level representatives from 35 African countries as well as leaders from the private sector.

Tourism leaders across Africa have come together to rethink the sector and its central role in driving growth and opportunity across the continent.

Just Deeg duerno UNWTO celebrated World Tourism Day, the Commission meeting embraced that day’s theme of “Rethinking Tourism,” focusing on innovation, branding, jobs, education, and partnerships.

Déi 65. Versammlung vun der UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa brought together high-ranking delegates gathered in Northern Tanzania’s tourist city of Arusha from October 5 to 7 under the patronage of the UNWTO Secretary-General, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili. 

Addressing the delegates, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili provided Members with an update on the Organization’s activities and accomplishments in the 12 months since the previous Commission meeting. 

“Tourism in Africa has a long history of bouncing back. And it has shown its resilience again. Many destinations are reporting strong arrival numbers. But we must look beyond just the numbers and rethink how tourism works so that our sector can deliver on its unique potential to transform lives, drive sustainable growth, and provide opportunity everywhere in Africa”,  Pololikashvili said.

UNWTO is currently working with African governments to develop tourism in the continent by addressing climate change mitigation measures, developing rural communities within tourism areas, attracting regional tourism, and encouraging innovations and investments in tourism in Africa, he told the meeting delegates.

Mr. Pololikashvili told the delegates that Africa lacks free and conducive trade among nations, similarly reliable air transport to connect countries for quick access to tourists visiting this continent.  

African countries also lacked conducive and viable investments in tourism to tap the rich tourist attractions available on the continent.

“But we must look beyond just the numbers and rethink how tourism works so that our sector can deliver on its unique potential to transform lives, drive sustainable growth, and provide opportunity everywhere in Africa,” Pololikashvili noted.

De leschten UNWTO data covering the first seven months of the year 2022 indicated that international arrivals across Africa grew up compared to 2021 levels.

To help African regional members capitalize on the tourism sector’s return and build greater sustainability and resilience, UNWTO is prioritizing jobs and training alongside greater and more-targeted investment in tourism. 

On the eve of this week’s meeting, UNWTO launched a set of Investment Guidelines focused on Tanzania, designed to support foreign investment in this African destination.

Diskussiounen op der UNWTO Commission of Africa (CAF) meeting focused on both the immediate and longer-term recovery of tourism across the continent, including redefining the roadmap of the UNWTO Agenda fir Afrika 2030. 

Key topics highlighted by the high-level participants included accelerating tourism for inclusive growth, advancing the sector’s sustainability, and public-private partnerships’ role in achieving both of these goals. 

Alongside this, the CAF meeting had heightened relevance of air connectivity, including low-cost air travel within Africa, as well as the pressing need to support small businesses (SMEs) in gaining the digital tools and knowledge they need to compete discussed.   

Tanzania’s Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism, Pindi Chana, also noted that Tanzania is now looking to diversify its tourism sector to boost arrival numbers and revenues over the next five years.

Members voted to hold the 65th session of the UNWTO Commission for Africa in Mauritius to conclude the meeting.