In PUNTA CANA, Dominican Republic, a collaboration between tourism executives from Africa and the Americas was established. The objective of this collaboration is to utilize tourism as a core element of sustainable and inclusive mutual development on both continents.
The first joint meeting of the United Nations Regional Tourism Commissions for Africa and the Americas concluded with the adoption of the “Punta Cana Declaration”. This summit utilized the shared historical context, unique and complementary cultures of both regions to bolster cooperation. The focus was on exploiting innovation, education, investments and creative industries for the progression of tourism.
Zurab Pololikashvili, the UN Secretary-General for Tourism, commented: “The summit presented a unique opportunity to bridge gaps and connect Africa and the Americas. Overcoming regional barriers and initiating South-South cooperation projects would ultimately benefit the tourism sector in both regions.”
Natalia Bayona, UN Tourism Executive Director, observed: “Africa and the Americas share a rich cultural heritage, diverse landscapes and historical relations. However, due to various obstacles such as limited connectivity, regulatory and administrative barriers, and mutual market unawareness, tourism ties between them are not as robust as they need to be.”
She added, “Our objective today is to confront these challenges directly. Out intention is to foster cooperation that would facilitate economic growth, encourage cultural interchange, and cultivate sustainable practices that all our communities will benefit from.”
The Punta Cana Declaration sets out undertakings for utilizing tourism as a mechanism of inclusive progress. The resolution recognized the crucial requirement to “boost joint efforts to endorse sustainable growth” via tourism.
The Declaration’s signatories have expressed their motivation to “double their efforts”, especially concerning the following aspects:
- Strategic investments: This seeks to augment public-private partnerships, stimulate sector investments, and prioritize investments by devising effective policies. It also looks to enhance connectivity between the regions and strengthen cultural exchange.
- Training and skills development: This objective prioritizes tourism education and training investments, extends access to both online and offline learning and encourages utilization of innovative and digital skills to fortify the knowledge base of the tourism workforce.
- Innovation: This aims to back startup and entrepreneur competitions in both regions, offer better support to MSMEs, particularly those in rural communities, and encourage innovation concentrated on sustainability and climate action.
- Creative industries: This looks to stimulate the role of cultural and creative industries in the tourism sector, finance projects with potential tourist attraction, cultivate diverse cultural destinations and routes and ensure the sector’s benefits are directed towards social and inclusive growth.
- Interregional cooperation: This aims to back market analyses and other research to identify potential growth areas and collective opportunities, devise shared strategies for tourism development, and explore digital media, new products and international tourism trade fairs.
The authorized version of this declaration is in its source language. Translations are provided for convenience and should be verified against the source language text, which will have legal effect.