Opening address by Dr. Taleb Rifai, Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization
On behalf of the World Tourism Organization, it is a great pleasure to welcome you all to the UNWTO East Africa Tourism Development Forum.
I wish to thank the government of Kenya for the kind invitation to host this significant event in the beautiful and vibrant county of Mombasa.
Your Excellency, President Kenyatta, thank you for joining us today on this important occasion and for welcoming us to your beautiful country.
Your presence is a reflection of your strong commitment to Kenya´s growing tourism sector and its vast potential to transform the lives of millions of Kenyan people.
I would also like to thank Hon. Phyllis Kandie, Kenya’s passionate and tireless Minister of Tourism, for her great initiative of hosting this significant Forum.
To Governor Ali Hassan Joho, thank you for the warm hospitality that has been extended to all of us since arriving in Mombasa.
Excellencies, Dear Friends,
It is a great pleasures to be back in Kenya since my last visit in April this year, to be back to “magical Kenya”, a country blessed with captivating landscapes, incredible wildlife, and of course, its soulful people who are one of Kenya´s greatest assets.
Recently, we all witnessed how Kenya gracefully welcomed US President Obama. I for one was deeply touched to see the warmth and emotions that exuded from all Kenyans – and President Obama himself – as a son was welcomed home.
I am confident that Pope Francis will be greeted by the same exuberance when he visits Kenya in November.
Indeed, it is wonderful that whether it is great leaders, or everyday tourists who visit the destination, the Kenyan people never fail to extend their unique warmth and hospitality to all.
With such beautiful attractions and inspiring people, it is no wonder why Kenya continues to be a dream destination of travellers across the world.
Dear Friends,
We gather today at a time when international tourism continues to reach new heights across all world regions.
The first months of 2015 have already seen a strong 4% growth in international tourist arrivals worldwide.
This consolidates the upward trend of international tourism in recent years, following the 4.3% growth of 2014 that generated a record US$ 1.5 trillion in tourism earnings – or an average of US$ 4 billion per day.
Yet behind these impressive numbers lies a much deeper meaning – tourism´s transformative potential in driving inclusive development across the globe.
This message could not be more significant in Africa, where tourism´s expansion over recent decades has made the sector a fundamental tool for inclusive social and economic development.
In many African countries, tourism is one of the main economic sectors supporting national growth, employment and environmental conservation – we witness this right here in Kenya, where tourism is a vital part of Kenya´s economy, society and identity.
Tourism contributes over 12% of Kenya´s GDP and employs over half a million people, offering 1 in every 10 Kenyans and their families a source of livelihood, meaningful social participation and hope.
Dear Friends,
Today´s forum finds itself at a significant chapter of Africa´s tourism.
At the start of the millennium, there were about 26 million international tourists that visited the African region. That figure has more than doubled today, reaching 56 million for the first time in 2014.
Yet in spite of this impressive growth, Africa´s tourism sector has not been spared from challenges, particularly after a difficult 2014.
While international tourist arrivals to Africa grew 2% in 2014, this represented a slowdown in tourism demand after consecutive years of solid growth.
UNWTO´s limited tourism data for the first quarter of 2015 confirms this trend with international tourist arrivals down an estimated 6% in the first part of the year.
The Ebola outbreak in a few West African countries, as well as the recent terror attacks have clearly impacted tourism as misguided perception had aggravated fears among travelers and generalized crises as a region-wide situation.
Addressing these critical challenges will be part of our core discussions during today´s Forum.
Dear Friends,
In this context allow me to set the scene on the three main issue we will be addressing during this forum
Image and Branding of Africa
Africa continues to face many challenges that impede tourism´s development and transformative potential in the region.
Africa´s image struggles with a negative default setting, fueled by unflattering stereotypes and the broad generalization of crises situations in specific locations.
In contrast, rarely do we ever hear about the numerous positive developments in Africa, including its fastest growing emerging economies, medical breakthroughs and technological innovations transforming its industries and societies.
We must communicate more of these positive stories and experiences.
Innovation
Africa must remain relevant in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.
The East Africa Community must come together to deliver one compelling, highly competitive offering. This requires close coordination between all stakeholders, and the support of the international community.
We trust that regional cooperation can yield immense benefits not the least in advancing innovation in product development and marketing for African destinations.
Travel facilitation
Travel facilitation is crucial to stimulating job creation, socio-economic growth and international cooperation.
Increased connectivity and visa facilitation are key to unlock greater opportunity for each and every destination.
In this context, I wish to welcome the recent introduction of the East Africa Tourist Visa, which allows travel between Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, boosting regional travel and creating opportunities for tourists to explore the diversity of multiple destinations in East Africa.
Dear Friends,
Today´s forum provides a tremendous opportunity for East Africa to transform existing challenges into common action.
UNWTO maintains great confidence in the East African Community´s ability to overcome the current challenges, embrace opportunities and affirm itself as a leading tourism destination.
To close, I would like to reaffirm UNWTO´s commitment and support for Kenya and the East African Community in fostering tourism recovery, and in advancing the competitiveness, image and unity of its tourism sector in Africa.
Thank you once again to the government of Kenya, and to all the delegates and participants who have attended today, and I look forward to our discussions over the coming days.
Asante Sana.
