An African ministerial working meeting organized by the UNWTO during this year’s Berlin International Tourism Fair – ITB Berlin, agreed to move ahead with a new ten-point UNWTO Agenda for Africa. The final document will be adopted at the UNWTO Commission meeting for Africa, which will take place in Nigeria in June this year.
Considering growth of international tourist arrivals by 8% in Africa in 2017, tourism is gaining weight as a development opportunity for the entire continent, with its vast diversity of nature, culture and wildlife, which are its greatest vehicles for development.
According to the UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, “Tourism has huge potential to generate lasting development opportunities in Africa if we manage it in the right way, which is economic, social and environmental sustainability.”
Issues on the UNWTO Agenda for Africa include among others – connectivity, the image and brand of Africa, poverty alleviation, climate change, education and skills development and financing.
The detailed, four-year UNWTO Agenda for Africa will be approved at the upcoming 61st Regional Commission for Africa – UNWTO’s annual gathering of all its member countries of the continent – in the Nigerian capital of Abuja held from 4-6 June.
Angola, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sudan, Zambia, and Zimbabwe were represented at the meeting at ITB.
Tags: UNWTO
