Tourexpi
The African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) has reiterated its support to
Africa’s tourism sector, seen as one of the continent’s fastest growing areas.
Speaking at the 66th Tourism Conference organized by 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, said the Bank would prioritise support for member countries to
develop their tourism industry and other pathways to sustainable, climate-smart
local economic development.
The conference, hosted by the Mauritius government, was held under the
theme "Rethinking Tourism for Africa: Promoting Investment and
Partnerships; Addressing Global Challenges".
“Tourism is one of the fastest growing and most interconnected sectors
in the global economy with vast potential to boost GDP and investment, spur
regional integration. Mauritius is a success story in that regard,” Mokaddem
said.
The conference brought together African tourism ministers and key
tourism stakeholders from the sector to discuss the development of tourism in
Africa. The annual gathering offers a platform where both public and private
sector industry partners come together to exchange ideas. The conference
explored innovative ways to promote investment, partnerships and sustainable
growth in the African tourism sector.
The Bank has identified the tourism sector as a priority sector in its
strategy to accelerate Africa’s industrialization and green growth. In this
regard, it is working in close cooperation with the United Nations World
Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the specialized agency in charge of promoting
tourism with a network from its membership of 158 countries.
The Bank and UNWTO have agreed to strengthen their cooperation and to
establish a working arrangement through a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU), guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, African Union
Agenda 2063 and Rio+20 development goals and objectives. This aligns with the
Bank’s 2013-2022 Strategy and its High 5 priorities to industrialize Africa and
to improve the quality of life of Africans, through creating enabling
conditions for decent jobs for youth.
Both parties agree that joint efforts will boost the tourism sector and
help fill the gaps in the areas of advocacy, policy and analytical advice.
Discussions to finalize signing of the MoU are ongoing.
Image Credit: ©
AA
The most interesting news
Read the News

WTTC hosts leadership cruise through Egypt’s Suez Canal
More than 300 tourism leaders from around the world gathered in Egypt to discuss recovery, resilience, and future growth in the global Travel & Tourism sector
Read the News

Lufthansa Group orders 20 additional long-haul aircraft
Lufthansa Group is expanding its fleet modernisation programme with an order for ten Airbus A350-900s and ten Boeing 787-9s
Read the News

Air Europa to relocate JFK operations to New Terminal One
Air Europa will move its New York operations to JFK’s New Terminal One when the new international facility opens its first gates in 2026
Read the News

Heathrow traffic declines as Middle East tensions disrupt travel demand
Passenger numbers at Heathrow Airport fell in April as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East affected international travel patterns and increased pressure on the aviation sector
Read the News

EU rejects high fuel prices as justification for avoiding passenger compensation
The European Commission says rising jet fuel costs linked to the Middle East crisis do not qualify as an “extraordinary circumstance” under EU passenger rights rules
Read the News

UN Tourism and The Bahamas promote sustainable tourism innovation in the Caribbean
A new innovation challenge highlights local start-ups developing resilient tourism solutions for island destinations across the region
Read the News

Vietnam positions itself as emerging SAF hub at international summit in Da Nang
Government ministries and industry leaders gathered in Da Nang to strengthen Vietnam’s role in sustainable aviation fuel development across Asia-Pacific
Read the News

London, Paris and Rome lead Europe’s day trip rankings
New TUI Musement study highlights the European cities from which travellers most frequently search for excursions beyond the city centre
Read the News

Radisson Blu opens flagship hotel in Nanjing South New Town
New hotel strengthens Nanjing’s growing business and MICE infrastructure in one of the city’s fastest-developing districts
Read the News

Hilton study highlights growing trend of multi-generational holidays
New research shows grandparents are becoming an increasingly important part of family travel, giving parents more downtime and children more playtime
Read the News

WTTC expects global travel industry to grow 1.5 times faster than the wider economy
The sector is forecast to contribute 12 trillion US dollars to the global economy in 2026 and support almost 89 million new jobs by 2036
Read the News

Taiwan ranks among top Golden Week destinations for Japanese travellers, says Agoda
Search data shows rising interest not only in Taipei, but also in Taiwan’s coastal and nature destinations
Read the News

Lufthansa shareholders approve all agenda items at annual general meeting
More than half of the company’s share capital was represented as shareholders confirmed dividend plans and elected new Supervisory Board members
Read the News

TAT showcases Thai pop culture at Thai Festival Tokyo 2026
Thailand used Thai Festival Tokyo 2026 to promote contemporary culture, lifestyle experiences and creative tourism concepts to Japanese travellers
Read the News

Delta highlights employee focus and sustainability in 2025 ‘Delta Difference’ Report
The airline points to record employee engagement, profit sharing, operational efficiency and innovation as key drivers of long-term growth
Read the News

EXPLORA III unveils Northern Europe voyages and solar eclipse experience for Summer 2026
The new LNG-powered luxury ship will sail across Northern Europe, Iceland, Greenland and North America with no repeated itineraries during its inaugural season
Read the News

WTTC report highlights long-term resilience of global tourism sector
A new WTTC study based on four decades of crisis data concludes that travel and tourism consistently rebounds after major disruptions and often returns stronger than before
Read the News

South Korea ranks among Asia’s top
A new Agoda study highlights growing demand for culinary travel experiences across Asia, with South Korean travelers placing food at the center of their travel decisions
Read the News

WTTC report highlights Saudi Arabia’s rapid tourism growth
Saudi Arabia strengthened its position as the Middle East’s largest and fastest-growing tourism market in 2025, while domestic travel continued to expand strongly in early 2026
Read the News

Thailand expands responsible tourism focus through Amazing Green Experience
A new trade initiative connected international buyers and media with sustainable tourism operators in southern Thailand
Read the News

Elda’s Moors and Christians Festival gains International Tourist Interest status
The traditional celebration in Elda has been recognised by the Spanish government for its cultural heritage, historical roots and international appeal