Guatemala partners with UNWTO to launch Sustainable Tourism Observatory
The new Observatory is located in the city of La Antigua Guatemala, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a leading tourism destination. Led by the Instituto Guatemalteco de Turismo (INGUAT) and supported by the Guatemalan government, the Observatory will periodically collect data and scientific evidence as it monitors the effect tourism has on the historic city. This data will then be used to assess how tourism can best be used to help drive sustainable growth and development.
“We warmly welcome Antigua´s entry into our global network of observatories. This demonstrates Guatemala’s strong commitment to tourism as a force for good,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. “The Observatory will generate more and better evidence of the economic, environmental and social impacts that tourism has on Antigua and the surrounding area. This will facilitate decision-making so that tourism can continue to drive sustainable development.”
The establishment of the new Observatory was announced during the 64th meeting of the UNWTO Regional Commission for the Americas, also held in Antigua (15-16 May). Moving ahead, the Observatory will work with an interdisciplinary group of local experts. This commitment to the input of local stakeholders is a key feature of the INSTO Observatories around the world.
Jorge Mario Chajón, Director General of INGUAT, adds: “This project will have a real multiplier effect, maximizing the economic as well as the social benefits that tourism brings. We welcome the opportunity to partner with UNWTO and work together to make tourism a key part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
Israel Loves Africa: African Tourism Board and Rwanda Air Take Action
African Tourism Board representative in Israel Mr. Dov Kalmann, has sent his congratulations to H.E. Ambassador Joseph Rutabana of Rwanda to Israel:
“In the name of the African Tourism Board, please accept our warmest congratulations as a result of this important development which will have a major impact for both the Israeli and Rwanda tourism industry, Israel is a nation with booming outbound and incoming tourism figures. The Israelis are excited to explore new exciting travel destinations whereas Israel has such a wide variety of tourism products to offer to the African travelers. The importance of this new series of flights is far beyond the scope of Rwanda only and will be felt by the whole region. We salute Rwandair for this decision and will be at your disposal for creating the brand awareness of Rwanda in Israel.”
Rwandair will start operating direct flights connecting Kigali in Rwanda with Tel Aviv, Israel starting on June 26, 2019. This is according to an agreement signed by the Ministry of Transport Israel Katz and the Ambassador of Rwanda Rutabana . Each country is entitled to operate up to 7 weekly scheduled flights between the countries, without any limitations regarding equipment or type of aircraft
Last month Dov Kalmann was appointed in Cape Town as the Israeli representative for the African Tourism Board. He gave an extensive overview of the booming Israeli outbound travel industry and the huge potential for the Africa travel industry to promote to Israeli travelers.
He explained: Israel has a population of less than 9 million. In 2018 Israeli tourists went on almost 8 million trips, compared to less than 3.5 million trips in 2010. During the WTM Africa, at least 4 more African airlines approached Dov with news about their intention to operate direct flights to Tel Aviv. All of them want to work with the African Tourism Board to create brand awareness of these destinations in Israel.
African Tourism Board Marketing Chairman Juergen Steinmetz said: “We encourage airlines with services to Africa to join the African Tourism Board and work with us on our vision to promote Africa as one tourist destination.”
Founded in 2018, the African Tourism Board an association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from the African region.
Dov Kalmann operates Pita Marketing in Tel Aviv. African Tourism Board is currently working on a promotional plan for ATB Members interested in promoting their destination or tourism business in Israel. More information and to join visit www.africantourismboard.com
Tourism Ethiopia joins African Tourism Board
Today Tourism Ethiopia joined the African Tourism Board as an observer.
Tourism Ethiopia (TE) is a national organization under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism;
The mission Tourism Ethiopia has is to transform tourism of the country in general by developing tourism products to world standards and marketing them to the global market.
In charge of the new cooperation with ATB is Musa Kedir, the Tourism Destination Development Senior Officer
Ethiopia is one of Africa’s most beautiful countries and its landscapes are epic in both scale and beauty. Here is a place where you can trek more than 3000m above sea level (the Simien and Bale mountains) or visit the lowest place on the African continent, the Danakil Depression. In between, there are lush highlands and stirring deserts, vertiginous canyons and sweeping savannah, vast lakes and high plateaus. If you look hard enough, you’ll also find landmarks of great significance, from the source of the Blue Nile to, again, the mesmerizingly desolate Danakil Depression, peppered with an astonishing 25% of Africa’s active volcanoes.
Ethiopia, the only African country to have escaped European colonialism, has retained much of its cultural identity and its story is one of Africa’s most fascinating. It all begins with Lucy, one of our most celebrated ancient ancestors, moves effortlessly into the realm of ancient Aksum with its obelisks and echoes of the Queen of Sheba, and then takes on power and passion as Christianity, with mysterious echoes of Ancient Israel, takes center stage. And unlike so many other places in Africa, the ancients here left behind some extraordinary monuments to faith and power which serve as focal points for so many wonderful journeys.
When it comes to human cultures, Ethiopia has an embarrassment of riches. There are the Surmi, Afar, Mursi, Karo, Hamer, Nuer and Anuak, whose ancient customs and traditions have remained almost entirely intact. Venturing into these communities and staying among them is akin to receiving a privileged initiation into a forgotten world. A highlight of any trip here is witnessing one of the many festivals that are an integral part of the traditional culture, from age-old ceremonies marking rites of passage to Christian celebrations of singular passion, the impact upon those who witness such events can provide travel memories to last a lifetime.
The government in Ethiopia decided in 2013 that tourism could generate jobs, income and wealth just like any other economic sector.A tourism transformation council was established to provide direction to the industry and the ETO was created to handle marketing, promotion and product development.The tourism push coincided with a massive upsurge in foreign investment from China, India, Turkey and other nations that boosted GDP to annual growth rates of around 10%.With the Ethiopian economy going like gangbusters, tourism is slowly but surely moving toward the great expectations generated more than half a century ago.Several members of the private industry from Ethiopia already joined African Tourism Board.
CEO Doris Woerfel said: “We’re excited to work with Tourism Ethiopia in making Africa one tourism destination. Ethiopia brings so many new opportunities to promote tourism to Africa.”Founded in 2018, the African Tourism Board is an association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from, and within the African region. For more information and how to join, visit africantourismboard.com.
Tourism Solomons CEO invited to join PATA Board
Strong recognition for the Solomon Islands on the international tourism stage and huge kudos for Tourism Solomons with CEO, Josefa ‘Jo’ Tuamoto invited to join the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) executive board.
The move follows Mr Tuamoto’s attendance at the ‘PATA Annual Summit 2019’ in Cebu, Philippines, last week where, taking part in a leadership debate, he gave an impassioned presentation on the United Nation Sustainable Development Goal 8 – ‘Sustainable economic growth and decent jobs for all’.
The presentation, delivered in conjunction with his counterpart from the Guam Visitors Bureau, received a standing ovation from the hundreds of delegates attending the event.
Following this at the organisation’s annual general meeting, Mr Tuamoto was invited by PATA chair, Dr Chris Bottrill and the executive to join the board as a director, in the process becoming the first-ever Fijian to achieve the honour.
Describing the invitation as a “real feather in the cap” not just for the Solomon Islands but the entire Pacific region, CEO Tuamoto said he was extremely humbled by the invitation and to have so much trust placed in his hands by the leadership of the Asia-Pacific’s most highly respected travel industry organisation.
“This is indeed a prestigious honour and I would like to express my extreme gratitude for being given this amazing opportunity,” Mr Tuamoto said.
“Being appointed to the executive board and being able to contribute further to an organisation that does so much to help develop tourism-oriented opportunity for the Solomon Islands and beyond, to the entire Pacific region is indeed a privilege.”
The invitation to join the PATA board represents yet another major career milestone for Mr Tuamoto.
Prior to joining the then Solomon Island Visitors Bureau in 2013, he already had a strong profile on the international tourism scene.
As former CEO of Tourism Fiji, his vast overseas experience with the Fijian national tourist office included stints as Regional Director for both Australia and The Americas prior to his appointment to the dual CEO and international marketing director roles in 2008.
While with Tourism Fiji Mr Tuamoto was the catalyst and took personal management responsibility for the international repositioning of Fiji’s international tourism profile under the highly successful ‘Fiji Me’ branding.
He replicated that success on behalf of the Solomon Islands in mid-2018 as the driving force behind the move to rebrand Tourism Solomons and the concurrent launch of the extremely well-received and highly distinctive ‘Solomons Is.’ branding.
Mr Tuamoto’s activity on the regional tourism landscape includes the role of deputy chair for the South Pacific Tourism Organisation.
On the commercial front, his experience includes Director of Commercial Operations and a managing director role with the iconic Fiji-based Blue Lagoon Cruises.
He has also acted as a senior consultant to government bodies and major private sector organisations in several countries across the South Pacific region.
A graduate in mathematics and physics from the University of the South Pacific, Mr Tuamoto holds an MBA from the University of Wales in Cardiff.
He has also completed management studies at Harvard Business School in Massachusetts, the Wharton Business School in Pennsylvania, and the University of Hawaii.