Tourism Principal Secretary John Ololtuaa has called for enhanced collaboration among African nations to overcome current barriers hindering tourism investment and capacity building across the continent.
Speaking at the 67th Meeting of the UN Tourism Regional Commission for Africa (CAF) in Livingstone, Zambia, Ololtuaa emphasized the importance of government policies and incentives to attract foreign investment.
“In Kenya, we have witnessed the steady entry of international hotel chains into our market. We encourage our governments to implement policies that promote the advantages of the tourism sector and ensure the safety of our destinations,” Ololtuaa remarked.
The annual UN Tourism forum serves as a crucial platform for African member states to collectively shape the future of tourism on the continent. Key discussions at the event included advancing sustainability in tourism through education enhancement, skills development, and strategic investments that foster growth and ensure destination safety.
The meeting also addressed critical topics such as sustainability, inclusivity, tourism infrastructure development, human resources in the tourism sector, digitalization, and product diversification.
UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili urged African nations to leverage the organization’s support in developing investment frameworks for tourism destinations.
According to the UN World Tourism Organization’s World Tourism Barometer 2024 report, global tourism continued its recovery trajectory in 2023, reaching 88 percent of pre-pandemic levels with an estimated 1.3 billion international tourist arrivals.
Additionally, the Economic Survey 2024 indicated a robust performance in Kenya’s tourism sector in 2023 compared to 2022, with international visitor arrivals surging by 35.4 percent to 2,086,600, surpassing 2019 levels and achieving a recovery rate of 102.5 percent. This growth was bolstered by advancements in the aviation sector and the hosting of significant conferences in the country.
Recent industry data revealed that 41 percent of arrivals to Kenya originated from Africa, while 29 percent came from Europe, underscoring a rising preference among Africans to explore destinations within the continent. This trend has been facilitated by the replacement of visa requirements with an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), streamlining access for travelers from Africa and beyond.
The latest Economic Impact Report (EIR) by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) forecasts that the African travel and tourism sector will generate nearly 14 million new jobs over the next decade, averaging 1.4 million new jobs annually.
