The conference brought together African tourism ministers and key tourism stakeholders from the sector to discuss the development of tourism in Africa
ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST – The African Development Bank has reaffirmed its unwavering support for Africa’s burgeoning tourism sector, which stands out as one of the continent’s most rapidly advancing domains.
Addressing a distinguished audience at the 66th Tourism Conference organized by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Mauritius in July 2023, Leila Mokaddem, Director General for the Southern Africa Regional Integration and Business Delivery Hub, declared the Bank’s commitment to prioritize support for member countries in the development of their tourism industry. This commitment extends to fostering sustainable, climate-smart local economic development.
Leila Mokaddem, Director General for the Southern Africa Regional Integration and Business Delivery Hub.
Themed “Rethinking Tourism for Africa: Promoting Investment and Partnerships; Addressing Global Challenges,” the conference, hosted by the Mauritius government, provided a platform for stakeholders to deliberate on the future of tourism in Africa.
Mokaddem remarked, “Tourism is undeniably one of the fastest-growing and most interrelated sectors in the global economy. It holds immense potential to bolster GDP, attract investment, and foster regional integration. Mauritius stands as a beacon of success in this regard.”
The conference convened African tourism ministers and key industry players, facilitating an extensive dialogue on innovative strategies to encourage investment, forge partnerships, and promote sustainable growth within Africa’s tourism sector.
The African Development Bank has identified the tourism sector as a pivotal area in its strategy to expedite Africa’s industrialization and promote green growth. In this context, the Bank is closely collaborating with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the specialized agency responsible for promoting global tourism, representing a network of 158 member countries.
Both entities have committed to fortify their partnership by formalizing a working arrangement through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This collaboration is guided by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union Agenda 2063, and the Rio+20 development goals and objectives. These objectives are in alignment with the Bank’s 2013-2022 Strategy and its High 5 priorities, which emphasize industrializing Africa and enhancing the quality of life for Africans by creating an enabling environment for youth employment.
The mutually agreed-upon collaboration is set to address critical areas, including advocacy, policy development, and analytical advice, with the collective aim of invigorating the tourism sector in Africa.
Discussions to finalize the signing of the MoU are currently in progress.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
