Elcia Grandcourt's Communique as UN Tourism Regional Director for Africa

Elcia Grandcourt's Communique as UN Tourism Regional Director for Africa

A Year of Tourism Growth and Innovation in Africa: 2025 Preview

As the holiday season approaches and we look forward to the new year, Africa's tourism sector is gearing up for a year of significant progress and exciting events.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has announced that the 26th UN Tourism General Assembly will be held in Saudi Arabia in 2025. This conference, along with the 2nd UN Tourism and ICAO Ministerial Conference on Tourism and Air Transport in Angola, are set to boost tourism growth and investment in Africa.

One of the major tourism events of 2025 is the 2nd UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa, which will take place in Arusha, Tanzania. This forum, scheduled for April 23–25, 2025, aims to promote gastronomy tourism as a key driver of sustainable and inclusive development across the continent.

Another notable event is the 2nd UN Tourism Africa & Americas Summit, which will advance South-South cooperation on tourism development, focusing on innovation, connectivity, investments, and tourist confidence. This summit is set to take place on March 25, 2025.

UNWTO has also launched the "Tourism Doing Business: Investing in Namibia" investment guidelines, highlighting opportunities for international investors in Namibia’s tourism sector. Additionally, Kinshasa (DR Congo) will host the inaugural World Music and Tourism Festival, celebrating music and tourism as economic drivers in Africa.

South Africa has shown strong tourism recovery and growth, with Indian business and MICE travelers forming a significant portion of arrivals, reflecting concerted marketing and development efforts in the region.

Africa's unified efforts under the Brand Africa initiative are redefining the continent as a premier global tourism destination. The 67th CAF Meeting and 2nd Regional Conference on Brand Africa took place in Livingstone, Zambia in 2024, furthering this goal.

In addition to these events, the Women in Tourism Regional Congress was organized in Sierra Leone in collaboration with UNWTO, with a focus on gender equality, innovation, and access to finance. The Women in Tourism Regional Congress aims to promote women in leadership roles in tourism and accessible tourism for a more inclusive future.

The Africa International Academy for Culinary Arts and the ZITHS Mukuni International Academy for Tourism and Hospitality are significant steps towards developing the next generation of African tourism leaders. These academies will be established in Zimbabwe and Botswana, respectively.

The 7th Africa Tourism Leadership Forum discussed youth entrepreneurship, the creative industries, and visa openness in Botswana. Member States had the opportunity to join a session to explore the UNWTO International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories, sharing best practices for sustainable tourism.

Zambia launched its "Tourism Doing Business: Investing in Zambia" guide during the conference, and Zimbabwe is creating the Africa International Academy for Culinary Arts to promote culinary tourism and cultural exchange.

The First UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism was held in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in 2024. During the FIA General Assembly week in Rwanda, stakeholders highlighted the country's culture and adventure tourism, and the role of sports in the tourism sector.

In Cabo Verde, the 2nd International Conference on Rural and Nature Tourism focused on diversifying tourism offerings.

As we look towards 2025, it is clear that Africa's tourism sector is poised for growth and innovation, with several major events planned. We express our gratitude for your support and wish you a joyous holiday season and a prosperous 2025.

1. The 26th UN Tourism General Assembly and the 2nd UN Tourism and ICAO Ministerial Conference on Tourism and Air Transport, both scheduled for 2025, aim to boost tourism growth and investment in Africa.
2. The 2nd UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa, to be held in Arusha, Tanzania, promotes gastronomy tourism as a key driver of sustainable and inclusive development in Africa.
3. The 2nd UN Tourism Africa & Americas Summit will focus on innovation, connectivity, investments, and tourist confidence in advancing South-South cooperation on tourism development.
4. Africa's unified efforts under the Brand Africa initiative are redefining the continent as a premier global tourism destination, with the 67th CAF Meeting and 2nd Regional Conference on Brand Africa taking place in Livingstone, Zambia in 2024.
5. The Women in Tourism Regional Congress, held in Sierra Leone, focuses on gender equality, innovation, and access to finance, aiming to promote women in leadership roles in tourism and accessible tourism for a more inclusive future.
6. The Africa International Academy for Culinary Arts and the ZITHS Mukuni International Academy for Tourism and Hospitality are being established in Zimbabwe and Botswana, respectively, to develop the next generation of African tourism leaders.

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