Africa and Americas unite at landmark UN Tourism Summit to plan shared tourism future

The “Punta Cana Declaration” was adopted at the conclusion of the very first joint meeting of UN Tourism’s Regional Commissions for Africa and the Americas and followed two days of shared dialogue around the key themes of education and investments into the sector. Recognizing the historic ties between the two regions, as well their unique and complementary cultures, the Summit served as a landmark platform for strengthened cooperation, capitalizing on innovation, education, investments and creative industries for the future development of tourism.

Welcoming around 200 high-level participants among them 14 Ministers, representing 27 countries (15 from the Americas and 12 from Africa), UN Tourism Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "This summit offers a unique platform to forge connections and build bridges between Africa and the Americas, create strategic cross-regional partnerships, foster South-South cooperation projects, all for the benefit of the tourism sector of the two regions."

Joining the UN Tourism leadership in welcoming delegates and encouraging the building of bridges between the two regions were David Collado, Minister of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Dominican Republic, Chair of the Regional Commission for the Americas, and Auxillia Mnangagwa, Patron for Tourism in Zimbabwe, the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

UN Tourism Executive Director Natalia Bayona said: "Africa and the Americas are endowed with rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, and profound historical connections. Yet, we recognize that due to multiple challenges—such as limited connectivity, regulatory and administrative barriers, and a lack of mutual market awareness—our cross-tourism relationship is not as strong as it could and should be.

Our goal today is to address these challenges head-on, fostering collaboration that will drive economic development, promote cultural exchange, and encourage sustainable practices benefiting all our communities."

The Punta Cana Declaration

As a clear signal of South-South cooperation, the Punta Cana Declaration set out a set of shared commitments for the development of tourism as a driver of inclusive development. Through the Declaration, tourism leaders from both regions recognize the important need to "intensify joint efforts to promote sustainable development" through tourism, with a firm focus on "strategic investments, education, innovation and the creative industries".. Embodying the spirit of the landmark Punta Cana Summit, the Declaration also emphasizes the importance of tourism as a tool for the preservation of shared and unique culture and heritage.

The signatories of the Declaration signalled their intention to "redouble their efforts", most notably in the following areas:

• Strategic investments: To strengthen public-private partnerships, stimulate investments into the sector, and prioritize investments through effective policymaking. Also, to boost connectivity between the two regions, both in terms of improved air links as well as strengthened cultural exchange.
• Skills development and training: To prioritize investment in tourism education and training, to expand access to online and offline learning and to promote the use of innovation and new digital skills to enhance the knowledge of the tourism workforce.
• Innovation: To support competitions for start-up enterprises and entrepreneurs in both regions, , to better support MSMEs, including in rural communities, and to promote innovative solutions focused on sustainability and climate action.
• Creative industries: To promote the role of the cultural and creative industries in the tourism sector, including through funding for projects with the potential to attract tourists and grow new and diverse destinations and cultural routes, and to ensure the benefits the sector delivers are focused on social and inclusive development.
• Inter-regional cooperation: To support market analysis and other research to identify potential areas of shared growth and opportunity, to develop shared strategies for tourism development, including through digital media, new products and international tourism trade fairs.

Investments and Education: "Building a better tomorrow, today"

In line with UN Tourism's wider focus on investments in tourism, the Summit brought together public and private sector leaders, alongside key representatives of financial institutions to assess the current landscape and trends and outlook for Africa and the Americas.

The high-level speakers noted the huge potential for joint investment initiatives between the two regions, emphasizing the growing role of public and private banks. The Summit also focused on the vital importance of investments for driving the green transition of tourism in both Africa and the Americas, most notably in infrastructure and in the hotel sector.

Alongside innovation, the Summit also placed the spotlight on education and training, noting the urgent need for skilled workers in both regions. With the focus on "Young Talents Leading the Transformation, tourism leaders recognized the need for joint capacity-building initiatives, curriculum development, and partnerships between academic institutions, industry stakeholders, and governmental bodies.

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This story was first published by UN Tourism.