The 2023 edition of World Tourism Day was celebrated yesterday, Wednesday, September 27, 2023. The theme of the edition is: “Tourism for green investments”. This global meeting established by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) highlights the role of tourism in building a better world.
“We are maintaining the course of 6.5 million tourists”
Mfouapon Alassa, director of tourism promotion at Mintoul
The manager took stock yesterday in Yaoundé on the post-Covid-19 state of the sector in Cameroon.
The theme of the 44th edition of World Tourism Day this year it is “ Tourism and green investments “. What is the difference between this type of investment and others?
The UNWTO (World Tourism Organization Editor’s note) has identified investment as one of the main priorities for recovery for the tourism sector. Green investment is an investment that protects tourist sites. So we no longer want investments that will bring waste and destroy tourist sites. This is why we talk about green investments. These green investments do not take into account productivity or economic criteria.
Is this type of financing already implemented in Cameroon?
Yes of course, this type of financing is already implemented in several of our tourist sites, we have for example the Lobeke site, in Campo Ma’an to name just a few. I can even tell you that the flagship product of tourism in Cameroon is ecotourism.
Today, what do the figures represent in the tourism sector in Cameroon?
We are emerging from a very critical and very difficult period caused, as you know, by the Covid-19 pandemic. If I say it today, it is with authority because I am a member of a committee which manages the e-visa and we see the figures which continue to climb every week. Cameroon is a fairly popular destination, with the ease of obtaining visas online and upon landing that we have today.
Can we have an idea of this activity in Cameroon, at least last year’s figures?
Last year we were emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic and it was not easy for tourist activity in Cameroon as in other countries around the world. Reason why the Minister of State (Bello Bouba Maïgari Editor’s note) prescribed the relaunch of internal tourism, because we realized that external tourism was weighed down, it was necessary to regain the confidence of external tourists, this which was done through a number of activities.
We organized very large seminars to show others that Cameroon is a “country”. clean » it’s zero Covid-19 in our hotels, in our tourist sites and it’s working since people are starting to come again since they realized that in Cameroon we can come back, without getting infected.
What are the main challenges facing the tourism sector in Cameroon?
The SND30 (National Development Strategy 2020-2030 Editor’s note) says it, we must welcome at least 6.5 million external tourists and an expandable number of internal tourists, this is the main challenge. By 2030, we must be at this figure.
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