The Tourism Investment Forum, hosted by the Government of South Africa, brought together global tourism leaders to explore investment opportunities in South Africa and across the African continent. The Forum highlighted the dynamism of the South African tourism sector, which welcomed nearly 9 million international visitors and 47 million domestic trips last year, contributing over 12% to national GDP, and underscored the country's role as a gateway for regional tourism development.
At the opening of the Forum, UN Secretary-General for Tourism Zurab Pololikashvili said: "Investing in tourism goes beyond infrastructure; it's about building a sustainable future through education and inclusion. We are proud to lead the dialogue on tourism investment and build bridges between investors and projects across Africa."
Investing in tourism is more than infrastructure; it's about building a sustainable future through education and inclusion.
New Guidelines for Doing Business in the Tourism Sector Launched
At the Forum, UN Tourism launched the Guidelines for Doing Business in Tourism: Investing in South Africa, developed in collaboration with the South African Department of Tourism. This comprehensive guide offers investors a practical roadmap detailing key opportunities, incentives, and projects to drive sustainable tourism growth. Designed to build confidence and facilitate investment commitments, the guide highlights South Africa’s unique combination of natural and cultural attractions—from Table Mountain to Kruger National Park—supported by world-class infrastructure and a favorable investment climate.
In addition, UN Tourism launched the executive summary of the Investing in Africa guide, a groundbreaking publication focusing on investment prospects across the African region. This first-of-its-kind report combines perspectives from public and private actors to offer crucial data and strategies for boosting Africa’s tourism potential. The Forum also included discussions on public-private partnerships, digital transformation, and sustainable hospitality and conservation projects. New editions of the Tourism Doing Business guides were announced, focusing on Angola, Cape Verde, and Kenya, building on existing guides for South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, Morocco, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Tanzania.
UN Tourism awards 100 scholarships for youth empowerment
In a commitment to promoting education and human capital development, UN Tourism awarded South Africa 100 Online Academy Scholarships. These scholarships seek to empower young people and promote quality education in the tourism sector, in line with the organization's Agenda for Africa.
The launch of these initiatives reinforces UN Tourism's commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and promoting tourism investment across Africa.
Source: UN Tourism.