Page 366 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025 (Part 1)

The sessions brought together a distinguished group of speakers including African and

international ministers, officials and business leaders in tourism and investment fields.
The Summit served as an ideal platform to share insights and expertise on accelerating Africa’s
tourism transformation, developing new public-private partnership models, boosting investment in

infrastructure, stimulating innovation in hospitality and travel services, and building sustainable

tourism ecosystems capable of supporting economic growth and job creation.

During the summit, Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, Secretary-General Elect of the United Nations
World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) for the 2026–2029 term, delivered a presentation titled ‘The

Future of African Tourism’, in which she outlined a comprehensive development vision for driving
Africa’s tourism sector forward.

Her presentation focused on four key pillars that can serve as the continent’s growth foundations:

enhancing connectivity between African nations through the development of transportation
infrastructure, building human capacity and empowering local communities, stimulating

sustainable investment in tourism-supporting sectors, and implementing promotional campaigns
that showcase Africa’s cultural and natural diversity.

She underscored that these pillars constitute a strategic roadmap for driving a transformative shift

in African tourism - highlighting the critical role of empowering youth and women in tourism
activities, enhancing the visitor experience through innovation and digital technologies, and

positioning Africa’s cultural and heritage values as key attractions.

She emphasised that strong public-private partnerships are vital to translating this vision into
tangible outcomes that foster sustainable development and open up new avenues for international

collaboration.

The first session, titled “The African Growth Story: Tourism Driving Growth and Capital”, explored

tourism’s role as a key driver of Africa’s economic transformation. Participants reviewed
investment opportunities in the tourism, culture and creative industries, noting that strengthening
tourism infrastructure is a key catalyst for inclusive growth, forming new value chains and creating

opportunities for growth in tourism and related sectors in Africa.

https://www.wam.ae/en/article/bmfkp5m-uae%E2%80%93africa-tourism-investment-summit-
highlights