25 Oct 2022

Small and medium tourism enterprises dominate at least 70 per cent of the value chains presented by the Meetings, Incentive Travels, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry across Africa, hence the leadership has the responsibility to make these enterprises thrive and scale up.

Helping these enterprises is said to be critical as they are faced with serious challenges post COVID-19.

Africa Tourism Partners (South Africa) Chief Executive Officer, Mr Kwakye Donkor said this at the ongoing fifth Africa Tourism Leadership Forum themed: Igniting Intra-Africa Tourism Through Inclusive Intra-Africa trade, partnerships and investments which commenced on Monday at GICC.

Mr Donkor said the MICE industry in the tourism sector presented vast opportunities for host country which ranged from career to business gains, including activity suppliers, guides, interpreters, and audio-visual staff to mention but a few.

“However, it is very important that as leaders of the industry we start looking at different ways of doing business within the continent,” he said.

Mr Donkor said destination considerations as presented by the MICE industry took into account a series of standards which ranged from the country’s political stability, air access, ease of access/VISA, support services, infrastructural development and value for money.

He urged leaders attending the forum to ramp-up their provisions and policies so far as destination considerations were concerned to host MICE industry and gain economically.

Mr Donkor said the theme implied that throughout the forum discussants should reflect on strategic ways of doing business beyond the pandemic and how best to attract the MICE industry. 

In addition, he said the forum was expected to play a substantial role in advancing intra-Africa travel growth, youth and women empowerment, intra-Africa travel facilitation and business-to-business networking.

Mr Donkor said the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum had shown the commitment and resolve to the development of the continent’s tourism sector in the last five years.

Botswana Tourism Organisation Interim Board Chairperson Ms Wincey Ramaphoi said the forum provided the opportunity for African member states and other relevant stakeholders to discuss strategies and experiences as well as share best practices through themed roundtables.

The roundtables would consider how tourism could advance recovery for people, the planet and prosperity including cross-cutting aspects of financing and digitalisation, Ms Ramaphoi added.

“Governments, as well as public and private entities will share best practices, case studies and lessons learnt on their experiences over  the past two years,” she said.

Ms Ramaphoi said its goes without saying that the impact of COVID-19 had brought forward the need to diversify economies and boost investment in circular low-carbon and inclusive business models and policies.

She said the pandemic had resulted in the support of digital transformation, innovation and uptake of technology through the tourism value chain, therefore, the day set a platform to discuss ways and means by which innovative financing to promote sustainable investments across the tourism sector could be unlocked.

Ms Ramaphoi said tourism could advance empowerment of women, local and indigenous communities as well as generate opportunities for the youth and engage them in actions for creating more resilience to famine.

She implored delegates to discuss ways and means by which the private sector and member states could enhance inclusion and participation in policy and decision making processes.

Furthermore, she noted incorporating gender-responsive policies, community empowerment and capacity building opportunities at all levels to support growth and sustainability of micro businesses paramount through planned interactive sessions.

The event is convened by African Tourism Partners (UNWTO Affiliate Member) in partnership with UNWTO and BDO South Africa and hosted by Botswana’s Ministry of Tourism and Environment. ENDs