STATISTICAL FRAMEWORK ON MEASURING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF TOURISM

• Africa
• 15 Jan 2024

Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST) aims to provide an internationally agreed statistical framework to measure the impacts and dependencies of tourism on the economy, society, and the environment. The development of MST owes much to the valuable efforts and collaboration of 44 pioneering countries and more than 30 international organizations, as well as academic institutions and subnational institutions. African country members have substantially contributed to this global effort and multi-year process, including Cabo Verde, Kenya, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, and Uganda.

                                                                                                                  

Some recent crucial milestones have actively involved African countries, contributing to pushing forward the adoption of the Statistical Framework for MST as an international standard. 

At the Extraordinary meeting of the UNWTO Committee on Statistics (held on 16 October 2023 in the margins of the 25th UNWTO General Assembly), H.E. Mr. Louis Sylvestre Radegonde, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism, from Seychelles, together with other leaders from pioneering Ministries and National Statistical Institutes, shared  vision on MST and why the time is ripe to aim for achieving global consensus. 

Consequently, the 25th UNWTO General Assembly adopted the Statistical Framework for MST, cementing its widespread acceptance by the tourism community. 

 A Global Consultation on the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (SF-MST) took place towards the end of 2023, receiving valuable contributions from Botswana, Lesotho, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa.  

The final step is to submit the Statistical Framework for MST to the UN Statistical Commission in February or March 2024 for its endorsement. To this end, UNWTO encourages African country members to promote a common country position with your respective National Statistical Institutes, to support the UN endorsement of the Statistical Framework for Measuring the Sustainability of Tourism (MST). 

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UNWTO 25th session of the General Assembly

• Africa
• 15 Jan 2024

The 25th session of the UNWTO General Assembly in Samarkand was a significant event, marked by the robust participation of African nations. The assembly welcomed 1,100 participants from across the globe, with Africa contributing 121 delegates, a testament to the continent's active engagement and commitment to global tourism development.

                             

                                    

African representation 

The African delegation was comprised of 116 representatives from 30 CAF Member States, showcasing the unity and diversity of our continent in the global tourism dialogue. The African presence was not only quantitative but also qualitative, with 30 delegations including 18 Ministers and 8 ambassadors, all contributing to the rich set of perspectives and insights. 

Elected and nominated African Member States for the UNWTO Statutory Organs and their Subsidiary Bodies  

The General Assembly saw the election of Algeria and the United Republic of Tanzania as Vice Presidents, with DRC and Zambia serving on the Credentials Committee. The Executive Council for the term 2023-2027 will include Ghana, DRC, Namibia, Nigeria, and Rwanda, with the Democratic Republic of the Congo notably being the first Executive Council vice Chair for 2024. 

The Regional Commission for Africa will be chaired by Mauritius, with Nigeria and Kenya as Vice-Chairs, ensuring that the continent's strategic interests are well-represented. The commitment to governance and oversight was further demonstrated with African representatives on the Programme & Budget Committee (Kenya, Morocco), Tourism & Sustainability (Kenya, Zimbabwe), Tourism and Competitiveness (Kenya, Zambia), and Statistics (Morocco, Seychelles). 

The Committee on matters related to the Affiliate Members will include Algeria as its African representative, while the Task Force on Resigning Tourism for the Future will benefit from the insights of Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal.  

High level panel discussions and interviews  

Panel discussions at the assembly featured prominent African voices, including H.E. Mr. Louis Sylvestre Radegonde at the "360 data approach to empower tourism" panel, H.E. Ms. Fatim-Zahra Ammor at the Global Investment Forum, and H.E. Mr. Rodney Sikumba at the Global Education Forum. 

Interviews on UNWTO technical assistance on the ground were conducted with the delegations of Angola, DRC, Morocco, Seychelles, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe provided a platform for African nations to share their unique tourism narratives, projects and strategies implemented with UNWTO. 

Adherence to the International Code for the Protection of Tourists 

Senegal's adherence to the International Code for the Protection of Tourists (ICPT) was represented by H.E. Mariame Sy, reinforcing the continent's dedication to secure and responsible tourism. 

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8th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism, San Sebastian

• Africa
• 15 Jan 2024

The 8th UNWTO World Forum on Gastronomy Tourism was celebrated last October in San Sebastian (Spain) and counted on the important presence of Africa. Under the theme “Gastronomy Tourism: Back to the Roots”, the Forum presented an opportunity to deepen the focus on African gastronomy and its links to agriculture and cultural heritage

With gastronomy tourism as one of the pillars of the UNWTO Agenda for Africa, the Forum explored the sector's potential as a source of inclusive growth across the region. In a special address, the First Lady of Zimbabwe, HE Auxillia C. Mnangagwa, a committed promoter of African gastronomy, emphasized the vital role that gastronomy tourism can play as an effective tool for development. She highlighted Zimbabwe's ‘Traditional Cookout Programme’, featuring traditional cooking competitions at regional level to encourage the consumption of traditional foods, in a way to ensure a healthy living. The initiative's success is evident in its impact on local communities, fostering creativity, disseminating cultural knowledge, promoting inclusivity, and recognizing women's significance in cultural heritage transmission. This transformative model seeks to extend its influence throughout Africa, celebrating diverse cultures and promoting culinary tourism.  

In the framework of this annual event, Chef Fatmata Binta, born in Sierra Leone and based in Ghana, was designated UNWTO Ambassador for Responsible Tourism in recognition of her unwavering contribution to the development of tourism and gastronomy as pillars of a more sustainable future for African communities. 

The Forum also put the spotlight on gastronomy tourism's role in the preservation of local territories and the promotion of sustainable practices. A high-level panel of tourism ministers from Bulgaria, Puerto Rico and Zimbabwe focused on policies that strengthen agriculture, gastronomy and tourism.  

On this occasion, a side-event, the “Culinary Plaza”, was organized for the Forum’s participants but also open to local citizens. Culinary specialties from destinations such as Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia, Porto in Portugal and Botswana were showcased in a festive atmosphere, allowing attendees to delve into the culinary culture of these corners of the world and taste their cuisine in a unique atmosphere. 

Videos, presentations and photos are available on the Forum’s website: https://www.unwto.org/8-unwto-world-forum-gastronomy-tourism 

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UNDP and UNWTO supporting tourism recovery and local economic development in the United Republic of Tanzania 

• Africa
• 15 Jan 2024

Since 2022, UNDP Tanzania and UNWTO have been collaborating on a joint project, titled “Tanzania Tourism Recovery through Digital Transformation and Local Economy Development”. The main purpose of the project is to support the tourism sector to recover from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and become more resilient by focusing on building a green, innovative, safe and more inclusive tourism sector in the country.

The project is carried out within the framework of the support that UNDP is providing to the Tanzania Association of Tour Operators (TATO). Besides the digital tourism training to TATO members that was provided in the last quarter of 2022, a key component of the project is the preparation of an Integrated Tourism and Local Economic Development Strategy.  

In 2022, the situation analysis report for the Strategy was prepared and presented in a stakeholders’ meeting in Arusha, Tanzania. Subsequently, field surveys were carried out to identify recommendations for action and possible demonstration projects to include in the Strategy.  In September 2023, the draft Strategy was presented in a validation workshop with senior representatives from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism (MNRT) and TATO, and the feedback received is being used to prepare the final version of the Strategy.  

The Tourism and Local Economic Development Strategy provides both recommendations at a national level and proposed actions to be taken at destination level, including proposals for possible demonstration projects in each of the four main Tourism Circuits in Tanzania Mainland, i.e. the Northern, Southern, Eastern and Lake Zone/Western Circuit. The recommendations and proposals presented in the Strategy may serve as a good basis to identify funding opportunities for follow-up projects in Tanzania on which UNWTO can collaborate with UNDP, MNRT and TATO to help enhance the local economic impact from tourism in the country.  

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UNWTO/EBRD support Tourism Dashboard Project for the Kingdom of Morocco

• Africa
• 15 Jan 2024

UNWTO, in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), has successfully developed a Tourism Dashboard for Morocco's Ministry of Tourism, Handicraft, and Social and Solidarity Economy. This tool, built on the Ministry's data model and statistics, involves consolidating Ministry databases, classifying resources, and constructing an interactive dashboard using Microsoft Power BI. The draft Dashboard has been delivered to the Ministry. 

                                              

During the project, UNWTO conducted several missions to Morocco facilitated strategic alignment meetings with key Ministry officials and representatives from the Moroccan National Tourism Office, Tourism Observatory, and Moroccan Society of Tourism Engineering. These discussions centered on addressing the Ministry's challenges and data needs.  In the most recent mission, UNWTO showcased the enhanced Dashboard, raising awareness among Ministry representatives and stakeholders. Additional data on air connectivity, sustainability, and employment were incorporated in the enhanced version.  

This collaboration underscores the UNWTO's expertise in tourism dashboard development and signifies a major step in enhancing Morocco's tourism sector.  

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UEMOA/ UNWTO Workshop on Safety and Security: Crisis Communication in the tourism sector

• Africa
• 15 Jan 2024

Tourism is an ever-evolving sector, offering enormous potential for economic growth and development for Africa. However, to harness this potential fully, ensuring safety and security is paramount. It is within this framework that UNWTO, in partnership with UEMOA, organized a virtual workshop on "Safety and Security in Tourism in Africa", uniting over 50 participants from various African nations.

 

In their remarks, Mr. Jaime Mayaki, Director of the UNWTO Department for Technical Cooperation and Silk Road and Mr. Mamadù Serifo JAQUITE, Commissioner of the Department of Human Development at UEMOA, highlighted the importance of the event. 

The workshop, expertly delivered by Mr. Louis Bernard, delved into crisis management, continuity planning, and safety best practices. It also introduced the "International Code for the Protection of Tourists (ICPT)," designed to set international safety standards for tourists. 

Crucially, the workshop emphasized the "White Paper on Safety and Security in the Tourism Sector," a collaborative effort of the UNWTO, AUDA-NEPAD, and UEMOA, aiming to establish security standards in African tourism. 

Participants welcomed the workshop for its profound insights and hands-on exercises, recognizing the knowledge gained as pivotal for enhancing tourism safety. The training empowered attendees with the competencies and perspectives required to effectively address security challenges and foster regional cooperation. 

Fostering Resilience (Safety + Security, Crisis Communication) is one of the key priorities embedded in the UNWTO Agenda for Africa – Tourism for Inclusive Growth, aimed to strengthening Africa's tourism sector and its potential to drive economic prosperity. 

In pursuit of the UNWTO commitment to offer this training to all African Member States, an English session was held on 30 November & 1 December 2023. 

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Empowering rural communities in Africa

• Africa
• 15 Jan 2024

One of the flagship initiative of UNWTO’s Tourism for Rural Development Programme, Best Tourism Villages (BTV) launched in 2021, aims to propel local development by recognizing rural destinations that exhibit accredited cultural and natural assets and vision on sustainability.  

                   

In three editions, ten Best Tourism Villages from Africa have been recognised. Ksar El Khorbat and Moulay Bouzerktoune in Morocco, Le Morne and Old Grand Port in Mauritius, Nkotsi in Rwanda, Olorgesailie in Kenya, Sidi Kaouki in Morocco and Lephis, Choke Mountains Ecovillage and Wonchi in Ethiopia.  

Another seven villages are part of the Upgrade Programme, which aims to help these villages that did not meet the BTV criteria to receive mentoring to address evaluation gaps and includes villages from Adaba (Ethiopia), Il Ngwesi (Kenya), Grand Baie (Mauritius), Oukaimeden and Ounagha (Morocco), Gasura (Rwanda), and Ruboni (Uganda)  

UNWTO also recently conducted a global survey, which included 17 countries in Africa. The findings underscore tourism’s potential to promote rural development in terms of job creation, cultural and natural preservation, and economic stimulation in Africa.  

Related Link:

• More on Best Tourism Villages by UNWTO
• More info and full report:

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UNWTO’s participation in the UNESCO Capacity-building workshop on community-based ecotourism and conservation in Cameroon

• Africa
• 15 Jan 2024

At the kind invitation of the UNESCO Multisectoral Regional Office for Central Africa, UNWTO participated in a three-day workshop aimed at building the capacities of local organizations, enterprises, and communities involved in ecotourism and conservation work around the two World Heritage sites in Cameroon. 

                                                                     

The workshop took place in Djoum, located in the South Region of Cameroon, from 8 to 10 November 2023, and gathered NGOs, associations, and community representatives from the Cameroon´s two World Heritage Sites, namely the Dja Faunal Reserve and the Lobéké National Park. Furthermore, the event was marked by the presence of representatives from the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure (MINTOUL), the Ministry of Arts and Culture (MINAC), the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF), as well as WWF. In light of the Department for Africa’s mission to support and empower stakeholders in their efforts to nurture the tourism industry as a catalyst for sustainable economic and social development and community resilience, UNWTO provided technical support and delivered capacity-building sessions on community-based ecotourism concepts, best practices, and approaches to entrepreneurship in tourism, and was an integral part of the panel to select innovative projects for UNESCO funding.   

 

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UNWTO and AFCAC Partner around Air Connectivity in Africa

• Africa
• 5 Dec 2023

UNWTO has strengthened its collaboration with the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) with the aim of improving connectivity and advancing seamless travel throughout the region.

The new Memorandum of Understanding signed between UNWTO and AFCAC reflects the importance of boosting cooperation between tourism and aviation in order to create jobs and drive inclusive growth in Africa. This agreement is based around shared initiatives, including the promotion of sustainable tourism and the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). 

UNWTO has actively participated in AFCAC's recent events, particularly the SAATM Pilot Implementation Project aiming to accelerate Africa's interconnectivity by 2025. Acknowledging the significance of travel facilitation, UNWTO has also commended countries, including Benin, The Gambia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Seychelles, for offering free visas to African tourists, aligning with the shared vision of increased connectivity. 

 

Related links:

• Download News Release on PDF
• UNWTO Regional Department for Africa

UNWTO Workshop Puts Focus on Modern, Dynamic Tourism Communications for Africa

• Africa
• 16 Nov 2023

UNWTO brought together top tourism and travel practitioners of 20 countries from across Africa to explore ways to deliver more effective tourism communications and showcase the sector’s role as a pillar of development.

The first Communications, Media and Tourism Training Workshop in Africa (Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, 13-15 November) recognized the heightened relevance of tourism and the current opportunity to gain greater visibility outside of the sector itself. Based on this premise, the three-day event focused on the opportunities for placing tourism in the mainstream conversation as well as the ongoing challenges facing communities, destinations and Africa as a region.

“Leaning by doing”

Reflecting UNWTO’s collaborative approach to communications, the workshop prioritised active learning among both participants and trainers. To gain a better understanding of why tourism matters and of how this needs to be communicated, the first day began with visits to three case studies in and around Victoria Falls:

• Tourism for Wildlife Conservation: A visit to the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust provided an opportunity to see community-led conservation in action, offering a better understanding of where tourism is supporting wildlife protection and where it can do more.
• Tourism for Development: Face-to-face meetings with the leaders and members of Umuzi Village made clear the challenges small destinations face in gaining access to the benefits tourism can offer, particularly with regards to outreach, communications and promotion.
• Tourism for Nature: The rainforest inside Victoria Falls National Park served as an example of tourism’s ability to support the preservation of ecosystems, though again making clear how the sector’s full potential is not always realized.

The field trips provided the basis for the interactive learning sessions and workshops of the following two days. The 50 participants, drawn from 20 countries and from communications, destination management and tourism governance, were tasked with addressing three of the key challenges facing tourism communicators today: pitching to the media, building and curating media relations, and focusing the narrative on tourism for development.

The workshop was informed by presentations from experts from UNWTO as well as from across the media spectrum (Meta, Channels TV, TraveMedia Ireland) and from top content creators. The interactive presentations again focused on the most relevant issues, including ways to place tourism in the mainstream media, harnessing the power of social media for tourism for development, working with the media, and effective communications to showcase tourism’s importance for culture, heritage and communities.  

Solutions and debates

With the focus of the Field Trips as the foundations, participants were tasked with presenting their solutions to the three main challenges outlined. With the focus again on interactive learning, the different backgrounds and viewpoints informed discussions around how best to pitch tourism to the wider media, how to work with media in an ever-changing landscape, and how to move beyond tourism as just a leisure activity. The discussions both highlighted the shared goals of diverse destinations while also making clear the gaps in knowledge that still need to be filled, with UNWTO standing ready to deliver further media training.  

Alongside exploring the solutions to growing tourism as a media topic, the workshop also focused on crisis communications, again utilizing the diverse expertise of participants and the examples of the field trips to identify ways to be more proactive and build readiness.

Related Links

• Download the News Release on PDF
• Communication Media and Tourism Training In Africa Workshop
• UNWTO Regional Department for Africa