Page 374 - MOET ENGLISH PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025 (Part 1)

10/29/25, 1:51 PM UAE–Africa Tourism Investment Summit highlights tourism’s role as key driver of economic transformation
investment collaboration between the UAE and African nations. The sessions contributed to
strengthening economic integration in the continent by forging quality partnerships in tourism, hospitality,
tourism infrastructure, tourism project financing and innovation.

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.

Shaikha Al Nowais highlights the future vision for advancing Africa’s tourism industry

During the summit, Her Excellency Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, UN Tourism Secretary-General elect for
the term 2026–2029, 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.

Her Excellency 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 emphasized 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.

Investment opportunities in the African tourism sector

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.

The panelists also focused on the importance of strengthening air connectivity between the African
countries and expanding GCC-African aviation partnerships, along with diversifying specialised tourism

destinations and offerings such as eco-tourism, heritage, nature, cultural and leisure tourism. These
efforts are key to maximising economic returns and reinforcing Africa’s attractiveness as a global
destination for sustainable tourism.

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