05.03.2014 18:00 Uhr - 19:30 Uhr
The Initiative Southern Africa (INISA) and the Society for International Development (SIDBerlin) cordially invite you in cooperation with the Global Engagement Institute (GEI) and the Afrikahaus to the next Berliner Afrikakreis:
Speaker:
Carmen Nibigira (Director, Burundi National Tourism Office, Bujumbura)
Keira Powers (Managing Director, The Spirit of Africa, Cape Town)
Chair: Rene Gradwohl (Initiative Südliches Afrika, INISA e.V.)
The discussion will be in English. No registration necessary. There will be a small cocktail reception after the discussion.
Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the fastest growing tourism markets globally. Its tourism industry is diverse, having tourist niches including eco-tourism, cultural tourism, roots/heritage tourism, safari tourism (all taking different shapes in different sub-regions and countries). Many contemporary Sub-Saharan African state agencies and ministry of tourism officials see tourism as a major opportunity, if not the panacea, for economic development.
According to a recent World Bank Study, Sub-Saharan Africa’s tourism is set to boost economic growth, create new jobs, and outpace other regions for new tourism investment. Yet at times tourism has left developing countries with considerable debts, environmental pollution, increased poverty, and social and medical maladies.
What is needed to avoid pitfalls and to untap Africa´s tourism potentials?
How realistic and practical are concepts of “pro-poor”, “community based” and “responsible” tourism? To what extent can the sector contribute to the economic transformation of Sub-Saharan Africa?
We are looking forward to an interesting debate!