The overall objective of this initiative is to promote sustainable tourism development in Africa by opening up its destinations to the Spanish outbound and investment market, fostering the growth of Africa’s entrepreneurial fabric and job creation, through FITUR and with the support of the UNWTO and Casa Africa. This inaugural edition of the forum will feature the ECOWAS region as a special guest. The specific objectives will be the following:
- To increase the presence and visibility of the African countries in FITUR, by conducting and promoting activities of interest for these countries
- To highlight the importance of FITUR as a permanent platform for the promotion of tourism business and investment in Africa
- To offer a space where the different tourism authorities, especially the economic actors of the ECOWAS countries, can present opportunities in the sector to Spanish operators and enhance the business potential in the tourism sector of the African region
- To foster synergies between the UNWTO and FITUR in the field of research on the Spanish generating market
- To promote the transfer of know-how and exchanges.
With a view to achieving these objectives, the UNWTO, Casa Africa and FITUR have constituted a working group that includes the State Secretariat of Foreign Affairs, the State Secretariat of Trade, the Madrid Chamber of Commerce, CEOE and CEIM. The UNWTO and Casa Africa will be in charge of liaising with the African parties involved.
This forum on tourism investment in Africa will take place on 21 January 2010 during the International Tourism Fair (FITUR), in Madrid.
