UN Tourism Strengthens Support for African Members with New Initiatives
UN Tourism is advancing its Agenda for Africa, uniting the region’s Members around key areas like investments, multilateral cooperation, and education
The 67th meeting of the UN Tourism Regional Commission for Africa, held from July 22-24, brought together leaders from both the public and private sectors. This meeting comes as Africa’s tourism sector is experiencing a robust recovery, with a 5% increase in arrivals in the first quarter of 2024 compared to pre-pandemic levels. Africa is now the second-best performing region globally, only behind the Middle East.
Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili highlighted Zambia's achievements, noting, “Zambia, like the entire African region, showcases the positive impact of tourism through new investments and job creation.” He also celebrated Zambia's 60 years of peace and independence, aligning with the upcoming World Tourism Day theme of ‘tourism and peace.’
Investing in African Tourism
Over the past decade, Africa has attracted over 160 greenfield projects in tourism, resulting in a total capital investment of USD 10.7 billion and creating over 24,000 jobs. A special Ministerial-level discussion at the Commission Meeting focused on global tourism investment trends and the promising outlook for Zambia. Discussions covered sustainable tourism development strategies, enhancing Africa’s global competitiveness, and innovative marketing and branding.
The meeting also launched new Investment Guidelines for Zambia, aligning with the UN Tourism Agenda for Africa, to identify opportunities for global investors.
New Tourism Academies
Memorandums of Understanding were signed for establishing the Tourism Centre of Excellence in Livingstone, Zambia, and the Academy for Culinary Arts in Zimbabwe. These academies will join the network of education centers supported by UN Tourism, providing workers with essential skills to thrive in the sector and drive economic growth. Additionally, 100 scholarships for the UN Tourism Online Academy were announced for each country.
Technical Support for African Members
UN Tourism is currently working on 13 technical cooperation projects in 10 African countries, covering areas such as tourism statistics, digital transformation, and skills development. These projects align with the five pillars of the Agenda for Africa: branding, connectivity, innovation, education, and investments. A new communication strategy to showcase African destinations’ uniqueness is also in development.
Members endorsed the Secretariat’s emphasis on safety and security, including a tourism police initiative in collaboration with The West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
Expanding Global Cooperation
A new Regional Office in Marrakesh is under discussion to expand UN Tourism’s presence in Africa. Looking ahead, UN Tourism will host a joint meeting of its Regional Departments for Africa and the Americas in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, from October 3-5, 2024, to discuss South-South cooperation in investments, education, cultural roots, creative industries, and innovation.
