ລັດອາຟຣິກາຕາເວັນອອກຮັບຮອງເອົາແຜນການຟື້ນຟູການທ່ອງທ່ຽວລະດັບພາກພື້ນ COVID-19

The ministers also agreed to establish the annual ການຂະຫຍາຍ EAC Regional Tourism Expo (EARTE) with the aim of improving the visibility of the region and marketing it as a single tourist destination.

The sectoral council decided that the United Republic of Tanzania will host the First EARTE in October this year. In his opening remarks, Mr. Balala, stressed the Partner States working together especially in addressing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism sector and in joint tourism recovery efforts.

Balala said that the pandemic had indicated the importance of building then developing domestic and regional tourism markets which are key and they can help in making the tourism sector resilient in case of future disasters and pandemics.

The pandemic has revealed that the EAC member states can use technology to connect with each other and have meetings through virtual interactions.

The EAC Secretary General Dr Peter Mathuki said that the tourism sector was one of the most important areas of cooperation for EAC, owing to its contribution to the economies of the Partner States. It hold about 10% of the regional Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 17 percent export earnings and seven percent (7%) jobs creation.

“It is therefore really important that we invest heavily. Tourism multiplier effect and linkages with other sectors that are instrumental in our integration such as agriculture, transport and manufacturing are quite immense”, Dr. Mathuki said.

Travel and tourism sector was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic more than any other economic sector at the global level, he said.

Through recovery efforts initiated by partner states, it would really be helpful for the EAC region to come together to implement joint actions aimed at the recovery of the sector as well as laying a strong foundation for its future development.

The EAC regional ministers also considered and approved to draft regional tourism marketing strategy, which seeks to position the EAC region as the best and most affordable regional tourism destination in Africa.

Strategies now in place under the EAC regional tourism are greatly supported and encouraged by the African Tourism Board (ATB). The African Tourism Board is now working on developing, marketing and promoting the African continent as the world’s leading destination.