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Victoria Falls Hosts First Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa
UN Tourism successfully held its inaugural Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa, marking a significant step forward for both the continent and the host nation. The Forum also highlighted Zimbabwe’s commitment to leveraging gastronomy as a catalyst for sustainable tourism development across the country and Africa.
Under the patronage of the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Her Excellency Dr. Auxillia C. Mnangagwa, and in collaboration with the Basque Culinary Center, the forum brought together around 200 delegates from 33 countries, including 11 Ministers and Deputy Ministers, the African Union, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
It is only right we now meet in one of the world’s most exciting gastronomy regions – Africa!
Opening the landmark event, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “It is only right we now meet in one of the world’s most exciting gastronomy regions – Africa! We leave Victoria Falls with a roadmap that will enable us to build an Agenda for Gastronomy Tourism in Africa, to ensure that we do work to make gastronomy tourism benefit people and planet.”
Leveraging the power of gastronomy
The discussions at the forum emphasized the transformative power of gastronomy tourism in enhancing local communities and economies throughout Africa. Participants explored the role of gastronomy in elevating Africa’s presence on the global tourism stage, as well as strategies for integrating gastronomy into national tourism policies. There was a strong focus on showcasing Africa's rich culinary heritage to the world, emphasizing the importance of collaboration among chefs, policymakers, and other stakeholders.
Participants discussed the need for effective funding and the significance of combining tradition, innovation, and quality to create unique food tourism experiences. The forum also highlighted the importance of changing mindsets to value local gastronomy and instil pride in Africa's diverse culinary traditions. This includes working with the African diaspora in promoting African cuisine globally, as well as stepping up education and vocational training.
Promoting innovation in gastronomy
The event also featured UN Tourism Regional Gastronomy Pitch Challenge – driving innovation in Africa, in which five entrepreneurs presented innovative solutions to improve the gastronomy and tourism value chains. Gracia Bvute from Zimbabwe won the competition with her project Pabvute Gourmet. On the occasion, UN Tourism and the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry of Zimbabwe recognized the winners of the Youth Photo Contest "A Journey through Zimbabwe´s Gastronomy" - Nokutenda Tombindo, 1st place winner with the photo titled “MAGURU (TRIPE)” and David Sadindi, 2nd place winner with the photo titled “Family meal (sadza nemufushwa)”.
Additionally, four new African UN Tourism Ambassadors for Responsible Tourism for their efforts in promoting national cuisines and advocating for sustainable culinary practices: Chef Yohanis Gebreyesus from Ethiopia, Chef Adenike Adefila from Nigeria, Chef Mounir El Arem from Tunisia, and Chef Carl Joshua Ncube from Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe to host Academy for Culinary Arts
In addition, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding marked the establishment of the Zimbabwe International Tourism Academy for the Culinary Arts, in partnership with UN Tourism. This initiative underscores a strong commitment to skills development and education, reinforced by the announcement of 100 UN Tourism Academy online scholarships aimed at nurturing culinary talent across the continent.
The second edition of the Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa will be held in Tanzania.
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UN Tourism Promotes “Brand Africa” to Unlock Investment Opportunities in Region
UN Tourism has united its Member States to focus on promoting “Brand Africa” and exploring new opportunities for growth and diversification across the region.
Held within the framework of the Regional Commission for Africa, “Promoting Africa to Unlock Tourism Investments and the Sector’s Growth Potential”, brought together public and private sector leaders to identify new opportunities and find shared solutions to the most pressing challenges. The Forum formed part of UN Tourism’s wider emphasis on empowering its Members to advance a new, positive narrative for the sector across the continent.
Celebrating uniqueness of African tourism
Welcoming the high-level participants, UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stressed the importance of working closely with African Member States on promoting both the uniqueness and the diversity of tourism in the region. His sentiments were echoed by Executive Director Natalia Bayona, who also emphasized the urgent need to grow investments into the sector to fuel innovation and creativity, thereby putting African destinations more firmly on the global tourism map.
Alongside key UN Tourism experts, stakeholders included the CEO of Zambia Tourism Agency, as well as the heads of Africa Tourism Partners, and key figures from leading civil society actors and businesses from the region, including Meta. Discussions focused on strengthening Brand Africa, including through greater public-private collaboration. Delegates also shared their insights into revolutionizing the image of African in order to drive greater tourism competitiveness, while top media thinkers provided their insights into Think Tank discussions on “shifting the narrative” of African tourism.
Investments to advance Brand Africa
Reflecting the importance of investments for advancing Brand Africa, the event also saw the official launch of the latest in UN Tourism’s series of Investment Guidelines. The latest publication, focused on Zambia, again provides vital information for international investors, identifying key areas of growth and other opportunities within Zambia’s burgeoning tourism sector.
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New Academies in Collaboration with UN Tourism Planned for Zambia and Zimbabwe
UN Tourism has announced a major step forward in its work to grow education and skills development in Africa with the establishment of the first collaborative Academies in the region.
With African tourism experiencing significant growth, there is now an urgent need to train a wide range of skilled professionals, all equipped with the skills modern tourism businesses need. Reflecting this demand, UN Tourism has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Tourism of Zambia to establish the ZITHS Mukuni International Academy for Tourism and Hospitality in collaboration with UN Tourism. The Academy will offer a range of courses, all focused on equipping students both new to the sector and establish tourism workers the skills they need to find work or advance in their careers.
Africa’s tourism sector is growing and diversifying at a tremendous rate
Laying the foundation stone in Livingstone, Secretary-General Pololikashvili said: “Africa’s tourism sector is growing and diversifying at a tremendous rate. These new Academies in Collaboration with UN Tourism will help train the tourism workers of tomorrow in a range of specialisms, giving African tourism the talent it needs to thrive.”
Joining the Secretary-General in signing the agreement, the Minister of Tourism of Zambia, Rodney M. Sikumba, said: “ through the adoption of the UN Tourism Education Guidelines, Zambia has been able to reposition the role of education in tourism development. The establishment of the Academy is a game changer of how we will bridge the evident skills gap for the existing and future workforce of our tourism sector.”
Culinary Arts Academy planned for Zimbabwe
UN Tourism has also agreed to establish the Africa International Tourism Academy for Culinary Arts in collaboration with UN Tourism. The specialist centre will be hosted in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and focus on training skilled professionals in culinary arts both within the country and right across Africa. The announcement coincides with the celebration of the first UN Tourism Gastronomy Tourism Forum for Africa, an event showcasing the region’s diverse gastronomy and set to bring together leading players from the public and private sectors.
Zimbabwe’s Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi said: “We are excited to be working closely with UN Tourism to grow gastronomy tourism in our country and across the wider region. The new Academy in Collaboration with UN Tourism signals our shared commitment to empowering tourism workers within the field of culinary arts, putting Zimbabwe firmly on the global gastronomy map.”
New Academies in Collaboration with UN Tourism
Livingstone, Zambia
New Academies in Collaboration with UN Tourism
Livingstone, Zambia
New Academies in Collaboration with UN Tourism
Livingstone, Zambia
New Academies in Collaboration with UN Tourism
Livingstone, Zambia
New Academies in Collaboration with UN Tourism
Livingstone, Zambia
New Academies in Collaboration with UN Tourism
Livingstone, Zambia
New Academies in Collaboration with UN Tourism
Livingstone, Zambia
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UN Tourism Shines a Light on Investment Prospects in Zambia
UN Tourism has launched a guide on sustainable tourism development in Zambia that identifies key sectors for investment. Titled “Tourism Doing Business—Investing in Zambia,” the guide aims to boost economic growth nationwide.
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary General of UN Tourism, stated, “This publication will lead to greater prosperity, job creation, community empowerment, and SME expansion in Zambia. It offers a comprehensive overview of Zambia’s economic, political, and social landscape, highlighting the vast opportunities within Zambia’s tourism industry."
This publication will lead to greater prosperity, job creation, community empowerment, and SME expansion in Zambia.
Rodney Simbuka, Minister of Tourism of Zambia, said: "Investment in tourism is pivotal not only for sustainable development, economic growth, job creation but also the preservation of our rich cultural heritage and the conservation of our natural resources creating opportunities for the local communities.”
Stability and Growth in Zambia
According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Zambia’s economic outlook is promising, with projected growth rates of 4.3% in 2023, 4.7% in 2024, and 4.8% in 2025. Zambia has maintained a steady growth rate of 3.2% over the past decade, demonstrating economic stability that exceeds the Sub-Saharan Africa average of 3.0%.
Reasons to Invest in Zambia
“Tourism Doing Business—Investing in Zambia,” outlines the opportunities for international investors, emphasizing:
- Zambia’s biodiversity and natural resources make it an attractive destination for investors, with 30% of its land (22.4 million hectares) dedicated to 20 national parks and green spaces.
- Zambia shares borders with eight other countries. The location of this landlocked nation, along with its cultural diversity, with more than 70 ethnolinguistic groups, are a few of its many merits.
- Zambia has been ranked the 7th Best Country to do Business out of 54 African nations and the 1st for Ease of Obtaining Credit in Africa after celebrating 60 years of peace and stability.
- Zambia offers attractive investment incentives, with 16 investment promotion and protection agreements currently in place.
Investing in Tourism
Avenues for investment in Zambia, such as the tourism sector, startups, and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), are attracting attention. Zambia has made its mark on the global investment arena with an average of USD 969.7 million in FDI receipts over the past decade. Zambia’s economic resilience, emphasis on tourism education, tax incentives, and efficient business setup processes make it a noteworthy prospect for investors.
The services sector contributes to almost 58% to the Zambian economy and employs 33% of the country’s workforce. Fostering an investor-friendly climate facilitates well-informed decision-making, enabling stakeholders to maximize Zambia’s strengths and actively contribute to sustainable development initiatives.
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“Brand Africa” to take centre stage as UN Tourism unlocks region’s potential
UN Tourism will bring together sector leaders to emphasise the importance of collaboration to unlock investment and growth potential across the region and to amplify the voice of “Brand Africa”.
The second edition of the Regional Conference on Brand Africa (Livingstone, Zambia, 22 July) will further advance UN Tourism’s work supporting its Members from across the region in setting the direction of travel for the years ahead. Alongside Member States, the conference will also feature the participation of Affiliate Members from civil society and business, as well as other private sector leaders.
Promoting ‘Brand Africa’
‘Promoting Africa to Unlock Tourism Investments and the Sector’s Growth Potential’, emphasises the importance of collaboration and innovation throughout the continent.
The conference will feature a Brand Africa Think Tank. This closed-door forum will bring together top CEOs, National Tourism Organization general managers, and private sector stakeholders. The focus will be on developing effective communication, marketing, and branding strategies to rebuild market confidence and reinvigorate tourism in the post-pandemic era. This initiative aims to position Africa as a top global destination by highlighting the continent's natural assets and cultural attractions.
Investment Session with a Focus on Zambia
The conference will also include a session focused on global tourism investment trends, with a particular emphasis on Zambia. This session will provide insights into sustainable development opportunities and strategies to attract and secure tourism investments. Key points to be discussed at the meetings include:
- Sustainable Tourism Development Strategies
- Enhancing Africa's Global Tourism Competitiveness
- Innovation in Tourism Marketing and Branding
- Post-Pandemic Recovery Strategies for the Tourism Sector
- Investment Opportunities and Challenges in African Tourism
To conclude the conference, UN Tourism will launch its “Doing Business Guidebook for Zambia”, which offers insights and practical guidelines for sustainable development within Zambia's tourism sector.
The conference will be held within the framework of the 67th Meeting of the UN Tourism Regional Commission for Africa
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UN Tourism Youth Photo Contest "A Journey through Zimbabwe's Gastronomy"
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10 Juin – 01 Juillet 2024
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