Maximising tourism assets key to Africa’s growth, says Ghanaian scholar

Robert Ebo Hinson, the pro-vice-chancellor of Ghana Communication Technology University (GCTU), says tourism can be the game-changer for Africa’s development if well harnessed.

The marketing scholar spoke at the 26th annual Zambia Institute of Marketing Conference and Awards gala dinner held from April 19 to 22 in Zambia.

In his keynote address, Hinson said Zambia and other African countries need appropriate marketing strategies to strengthen their tourism sector.

Buttressing his point, the scholar cited data from the World Tourism Trade Council (WTTC) which projects that between 2022 and 2032, tourism’s contribution to the global economy should grow at an average annual rate of 5.8%.

This, according to the WITTC, is more than double the 2.7% average annual growth rate estimated for the global economy.

He recommended, among others, the conduct of a tourism marketing audit to define a balanced portfolio of tourism products and services African countries could be trading in amongst themselves and exporting to other economic blocs as well.

“The Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could consider appointing an AfCFTA Chief Tourism Officer and conducting a baseline Brand Africa audit to assist in better positioning the continent to work better within itself and to identify domestic and international tourism development opportunities and better position African countries to better engage themselves and better engage international tourist visitors as well,” he added.

“AfCFTA could consider developing a new contemporary Brand Africa Programme to facilitate the full success of the Free Trade Area, and especially to facilitate tourism development.

“MDAs connected with tourism could revisit existing national tourism strategies and establish new ones with a strong focus on economic diplomacy, sustainability, infrastructural development, brand promotion and customer-centricity.

“Governments could also consider creating functional interlinkages among ministries of trade, foreign affairs and tourism promotion agencies and promote incentives for investors by establishing Free Zone Boards and empowering them to offer investment incentives to international firms looking to invest in a country’s tourism sector. 

“Industry associations could also be an important vehicle for implementing country tourism strategies by acting as a critical link between government ministries departments and agencies and firm level tourism operators while acting as capacity building institutions for tourism firm operators in Zambia (and the other African countries) utilising local and international facilitators in the delivery of gold standard tourism skills.”