AFRICA – The 67th meeting of the United Nations (UN) Tourism Regional Commission for Africa celebrated the continent’s impressive growth in the tourism sector.
The event brought together key leaders from both public and private sectors across Africa, underscoring the importance of collaborative efforts in investments, multilateral partnerships, and educational initiatives.
The meeting underscored Africa’s notable rebound in tourism. The first quarter of 2024 saw a 5% increase in tourist arrivals compared to pre-pandemic levels, positioning Africa as the world’s second-leading tourism performer, just behind 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.
“Furthermore, our Members come together in Livingstone as Zambia 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.”
In the past decade, Africa has emerged as a major player in the global tourism sector, attracting over 160 greenfield projects and securing a total capital investment of USD 10.7 billion.
These projects have the potential to create more than 24,000 jobs across the continent. During the recent Commission Meeting Session, a high-level Ministerial discussion delved into global tourism investment trends, spotlighting Zambia’s promising tourism outlook.
This session explored sustainable development opportunities and strategies for attracting and securing tourism investments, emphasizing sustainable tourism development, enhancing Africa’s global competitiveness, and innovating tourism marketing and branding.
A key highlight of the meeting was the launch of updated Investment Guidelines for Zambia, which align with the UN Tourism Agenda for Africa. This publication identifies opportunities for global investors and focuses on promoting tourism and inclusive growth in Zambia.
The meeting also saw the signing of Memorandums of Understanding for two new educational initiatives: the Tourism Centre of Excellence in Livingstone, Zambia, and the Academy for Culinary Arts in Zimbabwe.
These Academies will bolster the network of educational centers supported by UN Tourism, equipping workers with the skills needed to drive economic growth and social opportunity in the sector. Additionally, Secretary-General Pololikashvili announced 100 scholarships for the UN Tourism Online Academy for each participating country.
Out of 50 global technical cooperation projects, UN Tourism is actively involved in 13 projects across 10 African countries. These projects address tourism statistics, digital transformation, and skills development.
They align with the UN Tourism Agenda for Africa’s five pillars: branding, connectivity, innovation, education, and investments. The Secretary-General also revealed plans to develop a new communication strategy to highlight the distinctiveness of African destinations.
The Secretariat’s emphasis on safety and security was also discussed, including a tourism police initiative in partnership with the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
UN Tourism is set to advance global cooperation with a joint meeting of its Regional Departments for Africa and the Americas, scheduled for October 3-5, 2024, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
This event will focus on strengthening the global tourism landscape through South-South cooperation through investments, education, cultural exchanges, creative industries, and innovation.
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