Africa comes to this conclave with the intention of boosting employment in the tourism sector, as well as new investments in infrastructure and services. In its 66th edition, the Meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for Africa will also address other challenges for the tourism sector, such as climate change and the issue of security, among many others. Both the private sector and international organizations interested in the gradual recovery of tourism in Africa are attending.
According to the latest UNWTO data, tourism in Africa is returning to strength after the unprecedented crisis caused by the pandemic: International arrivals across Africa returned to 88% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of the first quarter of this year. At the sub-regional level, North Africa is performing particularly strongly. Here, arrivals were actually 4% higher than pre-pandemic 2019 levels over the same period.
Globally, international tourism receipts again surpassed the $1 trillion mark in 2022, a growth of 50% in real terms compared to 2021. Among African destinations with available data, Morocco and Mauritius significantly exceeded their 2019 tourism receipts in the first quarter of 2023.
Welcoming delegates, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said, "The UNWTO Agenda for Africa has been adapted. Our vision for African tourism is also one of sound governance, more education and more and better jobs. To achieve this, we aim at promoting innovation, advocate for the Africa brand, facilitate travel and unlock growth through investment and public-private partnerships."
The Meeting is being held in Mauritius and is being attended by delegations from 33 countries, including 22 ministers of tourism, two deputy ministers and four ambassadors. Such attendance confirms that this is the most important tourism event for the region's member countries. Among the key issues to be discussed at this event are investment, on which the UNWTO will provide guidance, taking into account the experience gained in previous events, which have been held in other African countries such as Morocco, Zambia, Namibia and others. In addition, there will be a debate on gender equality and youth empowerment, based on the sector's capacity to promote the construction of work spaces characterized by equity and equal rights, as well as the promotion of participation and leadership of the new generations.
The event will also provide tourism professionals with an update on the current state of global tourism, its innovations and potential. In close collaboration with its Member States from across the region, UNWTO has also updated its Agenda for Africa - Tourism for Inclusive Growth. The revised roadmap reflects the new challenges of post-pandemic tourism and the priorities outlined by Members.
Another challenge is to move tourism in Africa towards greater sustainability, recognizing the impact of extreme weather events, including the potential for heat waves to cut the lifeline that the sector offers to destinations around the world. In Mauritius, Members were updated on UNWTO's work on sustainability. Rural tourism development will also be addressed.