Focus On Environmental Protection and Local Value Creation
Frankfurt, March 01, 2024 – When developing new tourism projects, established and emerging African destinations are increasingly focusing on the protection of natural resources and the participation of the local population in order to create new sources of income and enable sustainable development. The African Union and regional communities of states have put tourism at the top of their agenda. They support the Tourism Action Plan (TAP), which regards tourism development as one of the priority sector strategies throughout Africa and aims to make the African continent the destination of the 21st century.
Countries such as Zambia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe are offering targeted incentives for tourism investors, simplifying processes, setting up online investment platforms and organizing conferences to bring foreign investors together with local businesses and government institutions.
„Given that commodity exports and imports of manufactured goods still dominate Africa’s trade, tourism as a service sector with traction for other economic sectors such as agriculture has the potential to drive the diversification of national income sources,“ explains Hanna Kleber of Voice4Africa, founding member of the ReThinking Africa Initiative, which, among other things, promotes investment in Africa’s tourism industry.
Zambia Expands Ecotourism
With the Green, Resilient, and Transformational Tourism Development Project, the Zambian government aims to strengthen the bio-based economy and create sources of income in up-and-coming tourism destinations such as Liuwa Plain National Park and Kasaba Bay. The project is being supported by the World Bank with a loan of 100 million US dollars.
Local communities and ecotourism businesses are expected to benefit greatly from the project. In addition, women-led businesses will receive support in the form of business advice and access to finance to ensure equal participation. At national level, the project will strengthen the authorities involved through training and capacity building.
Zanzibar Opens Up Some of Its Smaller Islands for Tourism Investment
The Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA) is facilitating investment in some of Zanzibar’s uninhabited islands, including Pamunda, where the development of the Tulia Pamunda Hotel and Resort is currently progressing. Completion is planned for 2025. In addition, a seven-star hotel, the Montuli, is to be built on Pemba – the first of its kind in East Africa.
According to ZIPA, the organization has been responsible for the creation of 17,000 jobs over the past three years, as part of an investment total that includes 296 projects worth 4.5 billion US dollars. 112 of these projects are focused on the country’s tourism sector. The government agency emphasizes that investments must be in harmony with environmental and climate protection.
Tourism Investments in Zimbabwe to Pay Off As Early As 2024
Zimbabwe has consistently invested in the sustainable expansion of its tourism infrastructure. Investment in the local tourism industry in 2023 came from both local and foreign investors, with USD 300 million going into the expansion of restaurants, hotels, lodges, safari services and wildlife sanctuaries.
According to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s (RBZ) quarterly economic report, tourist arrivals increased by 41.9 percent to 494,878 in Q3 2023, compared to 348,559 in the previous year. This led to a 24% increase in tourism revenue to around USD 272 million in the period in question.
About Voice4Africa
VOICE4AFRICA is an initiative of the KLEBER GROUP, a full-service PR agency with a special focus on tourism and many years of expertise in Africa. Together with African tour operators, the initiative promotes responsible tourism to Africa as a means of international understanding and a driver for sustainable development. Voice4Africa is the winner of the Corps Touristique Award for International Understanding 2023.
Press contact:
Hanna Kleber and Julia Kleber | Management
Friederike Galuschky | Senior Consultant Communications
Hamburger Allee 45
60486 Frankfurt am Main
Phone: +49 (69) 71 91 36 0
E-mail: hanna.kleber@klebergroup.com and julia.kleber@klebergroup.com / friederike.galuschky@klebergroup.com
Photo: Legendary Serengeti Mobile Bush Camp Dinner (c) Bush Legends
