
The United nations has released a report on African tourism indicating a 51% growth in the early 2022 compared to 2021.
The report comes ahead of the World Tourism Day slated for September 27th 2022. This year’s international day of observance will be celebrated under the theme, “Rethinking Tourism”, focusing on re-imagining the sector’s growth, both in terms of size and relevance
According to Elcia Grandcourt, a director at he United Nations Tourism Organization – UNWTO, international arrivals in Africa has more than doubled in post covid lockdowns after countries started to ease down their travel restrictions although the numbers are still below the pre-pandemic levels.
The quest for low cost travel Accommodation has also increased as more travelers are looking to stay in the communities
Elcia Grandcourt reveals that the UNWTO and the World Health Organization -WHO are working on accelerating recovery of the tourism industry in Africa by putting in place travel measures that are risk-based, evidence-informed and context-specific to ensure a smooth resuming of tourism activities and safe travel. The agency has aso introduced UNWTO Gender Mainstreaming Guidelines developed for public and private tourism stakeholders to integrate gender equality considerations and women’s economic empowerment in tourism. Member States from the region are encouraged to make use of these manuals to support gender equality and women during the recovery period and beyond.