Published on : Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Amani Abou-Zeid, AU Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy and Tourism said, “The value of the industry now stands at over 160 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for almost 8 percent of GDP, thus exceeding the contributions from manufacturing and banking sectors. That is why we are making sure it (the tourism sector) takes its due place.”
Abou-Zeid, however, stressed the fact that the African continent should work in for the promotion of the tourism sector by developing better tourism promotion strategies, improvement of Africa’s image and branding tourism in the continent.
To quote Abou-Zeid, “Our priority on the continent now should be to optimize the role of tourism based on the agenda NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development)/AU action plan. As flagship projects of AU Agenda 2063, the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) and the Continental Free Trade Area are first steps and excellent opportunity for boosting the tourism sector in Africa.”
Abou-Zeid further stressed the need to “make Africa the preferred destination through the creation of a unique “Brand Africa.”
She also reaffirmed the AU’s determination to strengthen cooperation and collaboration with the UNWTO, which is a key partner for the success of Africa’s ambitions in the tourism sector.