FITUR 2013 Promotes the Development of Tourism Projects in Africa

The INVESTOUR Africa Programme presents the tourism business opportunities that are available on the Continent to potential partners and investors.

The International Tourism Trade Fair, FITUR, which is due to take place in Madrid from 30th January to 3rd February, will host the fourth staging of INVESTOUR Africa, an initiative organised by the fair in collaboration with the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and Casa África.

Tourism can play a key role in terms of developing the African economy due to its dynamic effect and transfer capacity with regard to other sectors such as construction, transport and leisure services, among others. In this respect, the figures generated by the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Barometer are highly positive, revealing a gradually rising interest on the part of travellers in discovering the secrets of this Continent. Last year, for example, the number of foreign tourist arrivals on the African Continent came to 50,168,000. For its part, the number of foreign tourist arrivals in Sub-Saharan Africa increased by 6.9% compared to the previous year, according to the UNWTO Report.

Within this context, the INVESTOUR Africa Forum seeks to link Spanish operators with the tourism opportunities and tourism potential available throughout the Continent, with a view to boosting investment and tourism business in Africa and introducing a sustainable tourism model, one that respects the local culture and the environment.

INVESTOUR Africa, which is due to take place on Thursday 31st January 2013, will combine a specialised conference on tourism throughout the Continent, featuring various success stories based on collaborative programmes within the tourism field, with a series of business meetings between top representatives from the African tourist industry, encompassing both the private and public sectors, and potential Spanish partners and investors.