PR No.: PR 11048

 

The Minister of Tourism of Tunisia, Mehdi Houas, highlighted the importance of the support of the international community to Tunis and particularly to tourism in Tunisia at this time. ¨Tourism in Tunisia is fully operational and open for business and we need the support of the international community to communicate this reality. This agreement is an important step towards the reinforcement of tourism in Tunisia in key areas such as marketing, quality and human resource development”.

UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, said the partnership would contribute to help accelerate the return of international tourists to Tunisia in the short-term, where tourism represents nearly 7% of the country’s GDP and accounts for 450,000 jobs, and in the medium-term would support the improved competitiveness of the destination.

“International tourists are gradually returning to Tunisia,” said Mr. Rifai at the signing of the agreement. “As they do so, UNWTO will be providing Tunisia with technical support and assistance to sustainably reinforce this tourism recovery, one of the country’s principal sources of income, jobs and development”.

Under the agreement, signed by Mr. Rifai and Mr. Houas, UNWTO will provide Tunisia with up-to-date market intelligence on tourism movements and trends as well as guidance on tourism policy. Local officials will be trained on the latest marketing tools and strategies available to reposition Tunisia among the world’s leading destinations. UNWTO will also asses the country’s tourism education and training needs, linking Tunisian tourism institutions with UNWTO certified universities around the world.

UNWTO and the Tunisian Government further agreed to organize a regional conference in Djerba on competitiveness and sustainability criteria for tourism destinations and a UNWTO training workshop on quality and classification systems of tourism accommodation units.       

In 2010, Tunisia received nearly 7 million international tourist arrivals, generating nearly US$ 3 billion in export revenues. During the first three months of 2011, international tourist arrivals decreased by 44% and receipts by 43%. 

Relevant links:

UNWTO Supporting Tourism Recovery in Tunisia

International Tourism: First results of 2011 confirm consolidation of growth

Contacts:

Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

UNWTO Communications Programme

Tel: +34 91-567-8100

Fax: +34 91-567-8218

PR No.: PR 11047

“Today, major international organizations have pinpointed tourism as one of the most effective tools for Africa’s economic growth and development,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, opening the Conference. “With their support, sustainable tourism can flourish, generating jobs and income for local communities, while protecting the region’s rich biodiversity”.  

The West Africa Parks Project brings together ten West African countries  – Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Sierra Leone – sharing a network of parks and protected areas, to ensure means for its conservation and jointly promote the region as a tourism destination.

Participants at the Donors’ Conference included the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IDB); both of which made concrete commitments to the project. The UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the French Cooperation Agency (Coopération française) and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), which funded the initial feasibility study, pledged to support the project through funds and/or technical expertise.

Recommendations coming out of the Conference praised the project as a vehicle for “sub-regional economic integration” and called on the governments and managers of the parks and protected areas to involve local communities in its implementation. It was also recommended that private sector participation in developing the common area be strengthened.   

Note to editors:

The Conference, organized by UNWTO and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, in cooperation with the Government of Senegal, presented a Portfolio of Funding Opportunities to potential funding entities, based on a study undertaken by UNWTO and the OIC, and funded by the Sustainable Tourism – Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) Foundation and KOICA.

Relevant links:

West Africa Parks Project: Donors’ Conference

Contacts:

Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi

Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60

UNWTO Communications Programme

Tel: +34 91-567-8100

Fax: +34 91-567-8218

PR No.: PR11038

 

President Zuma was presented an Open Letter stressing the importance of Travel and Tourism to global growth and development by WTTC President and CEO, David Scowsill and by David de Villiers, Chairman of the World Committee on Tourism Ethics, representing UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai (Cape Town, South Africa, 4 May).

“Given the importance we attach to this industry, we are delighted to be the first African nation to join the Global Leaders for Tourism campaign,” said President Zuma receiving the Open Letter. President Zuma further highlighted the economic and social value of tourism. “We take tourism very seriously in this country given its job creation potential. That is why we have identified tourism as one of the six job drivers in our New Growth Path framework. Tourism is well positioned to be a leading avenue for addressing unemployment, especially given its labour intensive nature. Tourism jobs are not only created in the travel and tourism industry, but also in manufacturing, financial services, agriculture, healthcare and numerous other peripheral industries,” he said. “More significantly, this sector has become a fertile environment for entrepreneurs and small, medium and micro enterprises while historically disadvantaged people are increasingly making their careers in tourism, creating jobs for others and building their own businesses,” the President added.

President Zuma further emphasized the value of tourism as “one of the most powerful tools for nurturing world peace and stability” calling it an “industry which promotes people to people contacts and enhances understanding, tolerance and respect within nations and also across cultures and borders”.

As part of the Global Leaders for Tourism Campaign, UNWTO and WTTC are jointly presenting heads of state and government around the world an Open Letter which calls on them to acknowledge tourism’s key role in delivering on sustained and balanced growth and to prioritize the sector high in national policies in order to maximize its potential. The Open Letter outlines Travel and Tourism’s value as one of the world’s largest generators of sustainable enterprises and decent jobs, a powerful driver of socio-economic growth and development and a key player in the transformation to the Green Economy.

“South Africa clearly understands the positive impact of travel and tourism, with its ability to stimulate growth and generate new jobs,” said David Scowsill, speaking at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Cape Town. “President Zuma has a deep understanding of the industry, and we salute his leadership as the first African leader to sign the Golden Book.”

“We are extremely happy to see the very positive reaction that this campaign is having all around the world,” said Mr. Rifai in Astana, Kazakhstan, on the sidelines of the Astana Economic Forum. “Mexico, the first country to receive the Open Letter last February, and now South Africa, through the leadership of President Zuma, are examples to the world. Their acknowledgment of tourism’s role in addressing the multiple challenges we face today, in particular those of equitable economic growth and much-needed job creation, open the way for the sector to garner the recognition it deserves,” he added.

With 8 million international tourist arrivals in 2010, South Africa is one of the fastest growing tourism destinations in the world. South African tourism was given an important boost in 2010 while hosting the FIFA World Cup – international tourist arrivals grew by 15% and tourism revenues by 4% to reach US$ 9 billion. Tourism’s contribution to the economy of South Africa has increased from 5% in 1994 to 7.7% in 2010.

Relevant links:

Open Letter to Heads of State and Government 

Further Information on the Joint Campaign

Media contacts:

UNWTO Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60
mrisi@UNWTO.org – www.UNWTO.org

WTTC Communications Executive: Anja Eckervogt
Tel: (+44) 20 7481 6484
anja.eckervogt@WTTC.org – www.WTTC.org

PR No.: PR11037

“Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims”, said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai. “I am appalled by this act of violence and wish to convey the full support of UNWTO to Morocco.”

UNWTO trusts this cruel incident will not deter all those who wish to visit Morocco and that tourism, a critical sector to the country, will continue to thrive as it has been doing in recent years.

This isolated attack should not affect one of the consistently most well-known and stable tourism destinations in Northern Africa.

Contacts:

Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60
mrisi@UNWTO.org – www.UNWTO.org

UNWTO Communications Programme
Tel: +34 91-567-8100
Fax: +34 91-567-8218
comm@UNWTO.org
 

PR No.: PR11036

During his visit, UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai met Interim President Fouad Mebazaa, the Minister of Tourism, Mehdi Houas as well as representatives from the private sector to discuss the best ways to support tourism in Tunisia. Issues discussed include the new advertising campaign to be launched by the Ministry of Tourism in early May, travel advisories and public and private partnerships.

President Fouad Mebazaa underlined the importance of tourism to Tunisia as a “basic sector of the country’s economy”. Meeting President Mebazaa, UNWTO Secretary-General showed confidence in the rebound of tourism and in the future of the country. “Remarkable changes have occurred in Tunisia and the future is bright”, he said.

During a joint press conference with the Minister of Tourism, Mehdi Houas, UNWTO Secretary-General expressed his full support to the Tunisian tourism sector. “Tunisia is, and will continue to be, a leading tourism destination. Tourism is not in crisis in Tunisia, rather it is living the natural impact of the significant changes that have occurred in the country”, said Mr. Rifai. “It is now time to show the world the real situation of Tunisia and the world will see that Tunisia is ready to receive its visitors”.

Furthermore, UNWTO Secretary-General warned against the temptation of short term recovery measures based on lower prices and stressed that medium and long term prospects for the tourism sector in Tunisia are even more positive than before. “The new environment”, he said, “can create new open and transparent conditions for investment in tourism, namely foreign investment, and unlock significant local business potential”.

UNWTO support to Tunisia will include technical meetings of the Tourism Recovery Task Force created by the Ministry of Tourism with UNWTO experts on communication, the holding of a workshop in Tunes for public and private sector representatives on recovery techniques and the organization of a major tourism international conference in Tunisia in the last quarter of 2011.

Representing 6.5% of the country’s GDP and accounting for 450.000 jobs, tourism is a key driver of the economy in Tunisia and will play a critical role in its socio-economic stability and future development. In 2010, Tunisia received nearly 7 million international tourist arrivals, generating US$ 2.7 billion in export revenues. During the first three months of 2011, international tourist arrivals decreased by 44% and receipts by 43%.

Contacts:

Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60
mrisi@UNWTO.org – www.UNWTO.org

UNWTO Communications Programme
Tel: +34 91-567-8100
Fax: +34 91-567-8218
comm@UNWTO.org
 

PR No.: PR11032

The project, designed to unlock the tourism potential of seven CPAs stretching across ten West African countries, aims to maximize tourism’s role in poverty reduction and economic development, improve the lives of local communities, provide jobs and income, and protect the region’s biodiversity.

The West Africa Parks Project is based on a regional approach to tourism development. The ten participating countries – Benin, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal and Sierra Leone – are working together to maximize the potential of the areas they share by reinforcing regional integration and collaboration. Through such cooperation, countries can jointly address issues of common concern, promote the parks and their natural assets on a regional basis and increase preservation possibilities and socio-economic development through cross-border tourism.

A portfolio of funding opportunities will be presented at the Conference to interested donors and investors, outlining major funding requirements. Examples include providing equipment and training to park wardens to prevent poaching and enhance conservation; improving access to clean water and sustainable energy; developing micro finance mechanisms for local tourism entrepreneurs; and implementing micro enterprise support systems, especially for women and youth.

The portfolio is based on a study undertaken by UNWTO and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and funded by the Sustainable Tourism – Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) Foundation and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), to asses the viability of sustainable tourism development in the CPAs and make them “market ready”.

The Conference, organized by UNWTO and the OIC, in cooperation with the Government of Senegal, is open to international funding institutions, bilateral and international cooperation organizations, private donors and development agencies.

Relevant links:

West Africa Parks Project: Donors’ Conference

Contacts:

Principal Media Officer: Marcelo Risi
Tel: (+34) 91 567 81 60
mrisi@UNWTO.org

UNWTO Communications Programme
Tel: +34 91-567-8100
Fax: +34 91-567-8218
comm@UNWTO.org