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The
67th meeting of the UN Tourism Regional Commission for Africa (22-24 July)
welcomed public and private sector leaders from across the region. The Member
States met as Africa's tourism sector experiences strong recovery. During the
first quarter of 2024, arrivals were up 5% compared to pre-pandemic levels.
This positions the continent as the second-best performer globally, surpassing
all regions except the Middle East.
Zambia,
as the whole African region, is an excellent example of the positive impact of
tourism, which leads to new investments and job creation.
Secretary
General, Zurab Pololikashvili, stated, “Zambia, as the whole African region, is
an excellent example of the positive impact of tourism, which leads to new
investments and job creation. Furthermore, our Members come together in
Livingstone as Zambia is celebrates 60 years of peace and independence, an
inspiration as we get set to mark World Tourism Day around the theme
of ‘tourism and peace’ in September.”
Investing
in African tourism
In
the last 10 years alone, Africa has attracted over 160 greenfield projects in
tourism, representing a total capital investment of USD 10.7 billion, and the
potential to create over 24,000 jobs. Recognizing this positive trend, the
Commission Meeting Session featured a special Ministerial-level discussion
focused on global tourism investment trends, with a special emphasis on
the promising tourism outlook in Zambia. The session offered insights into
sustainable development opportunities and strategies to attract and secure
tourism investments. Key talking points included sustainable tourism
development strategies, enhancing Africa's global tourism competitiveness and
innovation in tourism marketing and branding.
The
meeting also saw the launch of a new set of the Investment Guidelines for
Zambia. The publication focuses on tourism and inclusive growth in Zambia,
which aligns with the UN Tourism Agenda for Africa, identifying opportunities
for global investors.
New
tourism Academies planned for Africa
At
the meeting, Memorandums of Understanding were signed for the creation of
the Tourism Centre of Excellence in Livingstone, Zambia and the Academy
for Culinary Arts in Zimbabwe.
The
Academies will add to the growing network of education centres supported by UN
Tourism, helping give workers the skills they need to thrive in the sector and
so drive economic growth and social opportunity. Secretary-General
Pololikashviki also announced 100 scholarships for the UN Tourism Online
Academy to each of the countries.
Technical
support for African Members
Out
of 50 technical cooperation projects worldwide, UN Tourism is currently working
on 13 in 10 African countries covering areas such as tourism statistics,
digital transformation or skills development. Several technical
cooperation projects are currently being developed in the region,
aligning with the five pillars of the Agenda for Africa: branding,
connectivity, innovation, education, and investments. Secretary-General
Pololikashvili also confirmed that UN Tourism will work with its Members across
the region to develop and implement a new communication strategy designed to
showcase the uniqueness of African destinations.
Additionally,
Members embraced the Secretariat’s emphasis on safety and security
recommendations in the UN Tourism Agenda for Africa which includes a
tourism police initiative in collaboration with The West African Economic and
Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development
(NEPAD).
With
the aim of widening the portfolio and expanding on-the-ground presence of the
organization, the establishment of a new Regional Office in Marrakesh is
currently under discussion.
Expanding
global cooperation
Looking
ahead, UN Tourism will hold a first joint meeting of its Regional
Departments for Africa and the Americas (Punta Cana, Dominican Republic,
3-5 October 2024). Here, Members of both Commissions will meet to discuss
South-South cooperation through investments, education, cultural roots,
creative industries, and innovation.
Image
Credit: © UN Tourism
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