|
KIGALI, (Xinhua) --
African ministers on Tuesday called on African
governments to liberalize tourism policies to make it easy for
tourists and operators to move through the continent in order to
enhance the tourism growth.
They made the remarks while speaking at a panel session
dubbed:”Unlocking Africa’s Tourism Potential” during the 41st
Annual World Tourism Conference that opened on Monday in Rwanda’s
capital city Kigali with a focus on promoting tourism as an engine
for economic growth and job creation across Africa.
Rwanda hosts the high level global meeting from Aug. 28 to 31, under
the auspices of the Africa Travel Association (ATA), a division of
the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) and the Rwanda Development
Board (RDB). It is the first time that ATA’s Tourism Conference is
hosted in the small central African country.
“Africa still grapples with intra-continental movement issues which
hamper tourism growth. Our governments should liberalize tourism
policies through regional cooperation on easing visa restrictions
and implementing open sky policies, if we are to move a step ahead
globally in terms of tourism prosperity,” said Tokozile Xasa,
minister of tourism of South Africa.
She added that liberalization of the Africa skies will impact not
only the growth of tourism but also trade, investment, productivity,
employment and economic growth.
Xasa’s remarks were echoed by Zimbabwe’s minister of tourism Walter
Mzembi, who emphasized that African governments have to decide
whether to ease visa restrictions and open up their airspace to
competition or continue hindering the growth of tourism sector.
“Our governments should try to ease policies that drive the growth
of the economic growth of the continent,” said the minister.
The conference has brought together African tourism ministers,
industry professionals representing tourism boards, destination
representatives, travel agents, tour operators, ground operators,
airlines, hotels and accommodations, service providers, and travel
media to set the stage for how tourism can be utilized as an engine
for economic growth across Africa, according to organizers.
The four-day conference will primarily dwell on innovative business
models, new technologies and strategic partnerships. The event will
also provide a platform to network and explore new tourism markets
and products including the promotion and preservation of Africa’s
rich cultural heritage and wildlife.
The conference will highlight opportunities in the tourism sector
and intersecting sectors such as infrastructure, ICT, health, real
estate development, and finance, she said.
According to the World Tourism Organization, Africa received a total
of 65.3 million international tourists in 2014 and earned 43.6
billion U.S. dollars of revenue, compared to 17.4 million tourists
in 1990.
The 40th Annual World Tourism Conference was held in
Nairobi, Kenya in 2015.
.
Rwanda’s Kagame urges conducive
environment for Africa tourism to thrive
KIGALI, (Xinhua) --
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame on Tuesday called on
African economies to provide favorable environment that would boost
the growth of tourism industry on the continent.
He was speaking at the official opening of the 41st
Annual World Tourism Conference that kicked off on Monday in
Rwanda’s capital city Kigali with a focus on promoting tourism as an
engine for economic growth and job creation across Africa.
Rwanda hosts the meeting from Aug. 28 to 31, under the auspices of
the Africa Travel Association (ATA), a division of the Corporate
Council on Africa (CCA) and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). It
is the first time that ATA’s Tourism Conference is hosted in the
central African country.
“Harnessing the full potential of tourism industry in Africa will
require continued focus and investment on several fronts that fuel
the engine of conservation and tourism growth. Strengthening good
governance enables us to manage the environment that supports
tourist attractions and generation of revenues,” said Kagame.
Rwanda, like other countries on the continent, is keen to convert
the favorable demographics into economic growth and prosperity, said
the president.
“We want to strengthen collaboration within our region and across
the continent in order to advance tourism in Africa. The single
tourist visa and passport-free travel with Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda
is already a reality. We need more cooperation on the continent to
increase the numbers of visitors and facilitate trade and investment
within Africa,” he said.
The meeting has brought together African tourism ministers, industry
professionals representing tourism boards, destination
representatives, travel agents, tour operators, ground operators,
airlines, hotels and accommodations, service providers, and travel
media to set the stage for how tourism can be utilized as an engine
for economic growth across Africa, according to organizers.
Florizelle Liser, CCA president and chief executive officer, said
that CCA and ATA are determined to continue partnership for
sustainable tourism on the continent through broadening the scope of
public- private partnerships for tourism across multiple industries.
The four-day conference will primarily dwell on innovative business
models, new technologies and strategic partnerships. The event will
also provide a platform to network and explore new tourism markets
and products including the promotion and preservation of Africa’s
rich cultural heritage and wildlife.
The conference will highlight opportunities in the tourism sector
and intersecting sectors such as infrastructure, ICT, health, real
estate development, and finance, she said.
According to the World Tourism Organization, Africa received a total
of 65.3 million international tourists in 2014 and earned 43.6
billion U.S. dollars of revenue, compared to 17.4 million tourists
in 1990.
The 40th Annual World Tourism Conference was held in
Nairobi, Kenya in 2015.
.
SEE ALSO:
Annual world tourism conference
opens in Rwanda
|
