Strong growth in outbound travel from many source markets around the world fuelled revenues from international tourism to reach a total USD 1.7 trillion. This accounts for 29% of global service exports and 7% of overall exports of goods and services. These figures consolidate international tourism among the top five economic sectors in the world, behind chemical manufacturing and the fuel industry but ahead of the food and automotive industries.

By 2030 consumer spending on tourism, hospitality, and recreation in Africa is projected to reach nearly $261.77 billion per year—this represents a near 53 percent increase over the $137.87 billion generated by tourism in 2015.

The Brookings Institute’s Africa Growth Initiative recently highlighted this promising information along with the increasingly important role the tourism industry is playing in the global economy. According to the report, world tourism contributes five percent of gross domestic product, 30 percent of service exports, and 235 million jobs world-wide.

Projected growth in tourism traffic into Africa has exposed the need for regional integration that will assist to effectively position African products on the international market.

This is the sentiment agreed by African nations who participated at the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) in Berlin, Germany.

Africa is pushing to maximise its visibility on the international arena and events such as the ITB provide a critical plinth to effectively market the continent’s products.

The number of international tourist arrivals rose by 6 percent last year to 1.4 billion, according to an estimate published Monday by the World Tourism Organization.

The increase was driven by travel to southern Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said the Madrid-based UN body, citing economic growth and technological advances as boosting factors.

Although arrivals to the Americas grew only by a modest three percent -- four for North America -- Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific performed strongly, with respective rises of six, seven and six percent.

The third cultural tourism conference (3-5 December) organized jointly between the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) concluded today in Istanbul, Turkey. Participants declared their support for cultural tourism as a driver for safeguarding living heritage, catalyzing creativity in cities, and spreading tourism’s socioeconomic benefits to all.

A key conclusion from the conference was the need for a clear and strong link between tourism, culture and local community stakeholders. Cultural tourism policies and strategies must consider the perspectives and interests of local communities, who can also assist governance bodies in balancing tourism

Cultural and heritage attractions are key to tourism development in many countries around the world, and innovation and technology can make these attractions more accessible while preserving their essence, the seminar concluded. It also stressed that innovation and technology should empower, rather than disenfranchise, host populations and communities and can assist them in retaining their authenticity, while cultural heritage development and preservation should be a part of local and national plans for socioeconomic development through tourism and technology.