Tourism leaders across Africa met in Mauritius last week to rethink and realign the sector’s role as a driver of development and opportunity across the region during the 66th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa.

Member states joined representatives from international organisations and the private sector to focus on opportunities around tourism jobs and investments, while also recognising the need to address challenges, including the climate crisis.

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "The UNWTO Agenda for Africa has been adapted. Our vision for African tourism is strong governance, more education, and better jobs. To achieve it, we aim to promote innovation, advocate for Brand Africa, facilitate travel, and unlock growth through investment and public-private partnerships.”

UNWTO has also updated its Agenda for Africa – Tourism for Inclusive Growth. The revised roadmap reflects the new challenges of post-pandemic tourism and the priorities outlined by members.

According to the latest UNWTO data, tourism across Africa is returning to strength following the unprecedented crisis caused by the pandemic, as international arrivals across the continent were back to 88% of pre-pandemic levels at the end of the first quarter of this year.

During the meeting, Members were provided with an overview of UNWTO's achievements over the past year, with a particular focus on core priorities for tourism in Africa:

• Tourism Investments – UNWTO presented a new set of Investment Guidelines for Mauritius, designed to connect investors with tourism projects in the country. The Guidelines follow on from similar publications focused on Tanzania, with editions for Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda and Zambia in development. UNWTO has also held two Tourism Investment Forums in Africa.
• Gender Equality and Youth Empowerment – Members were advised on the progress of the UNWTO Women in Tourism Leadership for Africa Committee, and the Organization's focus on education and training. Key achievements include the Travel Hospitality and Tourism Education Summit in Zambia in May, and plans to open an International Academy in Nigeria.
• Advocating for 'Brand Africa' – Members were provided with an update on UNWTO's work to empower African tourism professionals to take charge of the narrative, including through two editions of the Brand Africa Think Tank Dialogue and plans for a UNWTO Media Training Workshop.