The United Nations World Tourism Regional Director for
Africa, Ms. Elcia Grandcourt, has been present in Namibia this past week
undertaking a planning mission for the Conference, the Minister of Environment,
Tourism and Forestry, Pohamba Shifeta said on Thursday.
Shifeta said it is expected that approximately 100 to 150
people will participate at the conference, mainly representatives from national
tourism and destination management organizations, officials from ministries
responsible for tourism from African countries as well as representatives of
Micro and SMEs.
The conference will be attended by the Secretary General of
the UNWTO and it is anticipated that several ministers responsible for tourism
from various African countries will also attend the Conference.
"It is well known that the tourism sector has been one
of the most hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic at the national and regional
level. The closure of borders and cross border restrictions on travel over the
past year or so has had a terrible impact on direct and indirect beneficiaries of
the tourism sector such as hotels, communal conservancies, travel agents,
airlines, vehicle rental companies, tour operators, hunting operators as well
as restaurants and entertainment facilities targeting tourists. In Namibia
alone, we have seen a reduction of approximately 90% in visitors to our top
tourism attractions such as Sossusvlei and Etosha National Park" he said.
Shifeta said the theme of the conference; 'Strengthening
Brand Africa for the Swift Recovery of the Tourism Sector', is fully in line
with the International Tourism Revival Initiative announced by HE President,
Dr. Hage Geingob in June 2020 and will represent another important step in
reviving the sector here at home and more broadly at the continental level.
The conference will focus on national and regional branding
to enhance the image of Africa as a tourist destination and for enhancing the
digital marketing skills of micro and small and medium tourism enterprises,
particularly here in Namibia, Shifeta said.
"All too often we see the image of Africa portrayed in
a negative light in the media, we are painted as the continent that is home to
wars, poverty and forced emigration. This conference will play an important
part in positioning Africa as a tourism destination of choice based on its rich
cultures, spectacular scenery and wildlife as well as other attractions. This
repositioning will assist the Continent as the tourism sector reopens and
recovers from the impacts of the pandemic," he added.
Furthermore he said the conference will play a direct role
in empowering and improving the marketing skills of micro and small and medium
enterprises operating in the tourism sector, particularly here in Namibia.
The conference is being hosted by the ministry in collaboration
with Namibia Tourism Board.
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