First INVESTOUR Workshop on financing in tourism
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the International Tourism Trade Fair of Madrid (IFEMA/FITUR) and Casa África (in representation for the Government of Spain), with the support of the Canary Islands Authority (CABILDO), held the First INVESTOUR workshop on financing in the tourism sector in las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, on 16-17 October 2017.
The workshop trained UNWTO Member States in the development of effective proposals for tourism-related projects seeking investments. The proposal will be presented during the INVESTOUR B2B sessions to take place next January in Madrid at the FITUR fair.
Participating were Hamat Bah, Minister for Tourism and Culture of Gambia, Siandou Fofana, Minister of Tourism of Côte d’Ivoire and Franck Mwe di Malila Apenela, Minister of Tourism of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Overall, ten African countries were represented: Angola, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Guinee Bissau, Kenya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, and South Africa.
Participants had the opportunity to visit the Institución Ferial de Canarias (INFECAR) and their Training Center on Tourism Innovation. Several bilateral meetings were held on the sidelines of the workshop between the African Tourism Ministers and key stakeholders from Las Palmas de Gran Canarias, which offered an ideal platform to discuss prospects and opportunities of attracting Spanish investors to Africa. The workshop was held within the framework of the 10 year Anniversary of Casa África
Based on the success of the event, UNWTO will organize the workshop on an annual basis. An Investment Handbook on better access to financing for tourism projects will be produced to be used as a key project development tool for public and private tourism stakeholders.
INVESTOUR is an annual forum, organized jointly by UNWTO, FITUR and Casa África, on the occasion of the International Tourism Fair of Madrid (FITUR). The objective of the event is to promote sustainable tourism as an economic and social development tool for Africa, by putting in direct contact African project leaders with potential international partners and investors.
The 8th edition of INVESTOUR (2017) witnessed a total of 404 participants and 86 meetings between 45 African and international organizations from 23 countries.
INVESTOUR: /event/investour-2018-ix-tourism-investment-and-business-forum-africa-18-january-2018-madrid-spain
