Shifeta urges youth to harness tourism potential
Tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta has encouraged youth to embrace innovation and disruptive digital change and harness their potential to succeed in the tourism sector.
Shifeta said young Africans must aim to become transformational changemakers and immediate future leaders of the profitable global and tourism sectors.
"To the African youth, be reminded that you are the true and reflective ambassadors of change in African society and the tourism economies. Being creative and innovative yields a valuable asset and businesses that are required to enhance economic and human capital development that will contribute to the gross domestic product in your respective countries."
Youth summit
He made these remarks at the 5th Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit and Challenge that took place in Swakopmund from 31 May to 2 June under the theme 'developing youth and innovative entrepreneurship solutions for inclusive tourism recovery in Africa'.
The summit is a Pan-African youth initiative that was introduced in 2019.
"It serves as a voice for the youth and emerging enterprises in tourism, travel, hospitality, aviation, and all related industries with the sole objective to connect, engage, learn, innovate, and grow themselves, their businesses, and the entire travel and tourism economies of the African countries,” the minister said.
Shifeta said the summit was established to nurture African youth and small enterprises and to introduce accelerator initiatives to pursue opportunities in the ever-growing travel and tourism ecosystem.
Inclusive growth
He said Namibia subscribes to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) agenda for Africa, which positions tourism at the centre stage for inclusive growth in order to optimise the sector’s contribution to sustainable and inclusive development of the African continent at large.
He stressed that this objective can only be achieved with the inclusion of youth and women in the tourism ecosystem.
The summit this year was aimed at harmonising and influencing government policies, introducing strategies and adopting new technologies that support the development and growth of small, medium and micro enterprises, tourism businesses, incentives, conferences and events, financing, and creating market access for youth entrepreneurship.
Moreover, the summit was held to encourage a robust innovation culture amongst the youth and to call upon the industry to introduce innovative entrepreneurship solutions for inclusive tourism recovery in Africa.
Shifeta said young Africans must aim to become transformational changemakers and immediate future leaders of the profitable global and tourism sectors.
"To the African youth, be reminded that you are the true and reflective ambassadors of change in African society and the tourism economies. Being creative and innovative yields a valuable asset and businesses that are required to enhance economic and human capital development that will contribute to the gross domestic product in your respective countries."
Youth summit
He made these remarks at the 5th Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit and Challenge that took place in Swakopmund from 31 May to 2 June under the theme 'developing youth and innovative entrepreneurship solutions for inclusive tourism recovery in Africa'.
The summit is a Pan-African youth initiative that was introduced in 2019.
"It serves as a voice for the youth and emerging enterprises in tourism, travel, hospitality, aviation, and all related industries with the sole objective to connect, engage, learn, innovate, and grow themselves, their businesses, and the entire travel and tourism economies of the African countries,” the minister said.
Shifeta said the summit was established to nurture African youth and small enterprises and to introduce accelerator initiatives to pursue opportunities in the ever-growing travel and tourism ecosystem.
Inclusive growth
He said Namibia subscribes to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) agenda for Africa, which positions tourism at the centre stage for inclusive growth in order to optimise the sector’s contribution to sustainable and inclusive development of the African continent at large.
He stressed that this objective can only be achieved with the inclusion of youth and women in the tourism ecosystem.
The summit this year was aimed at harmonising and influencing government policies, introducing strategies and adopting new technologies that support the development and growth of small, medium and micro enterprises, tourism businesses, incentives, conferences and events, financing, and creating market access for youth entrepreneurship.
Moreover, the summit was held to encourage a robust innovation culture amongst the youth and to call upon the industry to introduce innovative entrepreneurship solutions for inclusive tourism recovery in Africa.
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