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Benefits of tourism to Africa ‘ignored’ by G8
The G8 Summit, the Make Poverty History campaign and the Commission for Africa have all been accused of turning their backs on the benefits of tourism.
Online operator responsibletravel.com says that the only mention of tourism on the G8 website is plugging the Scottish tourism industry but nothing about the role of responsible tourism to help reduce poverty in Africa. There is no reference to tourism’s potential to reduce poverty on the Commission for Africa or Make Poverty History websites, according to responsibletravel.com.
Responsibletravel.com co-founder Justin Francis demanded that G8 leaders meeting in Gleneagles on Wednesday create national strategies to ensure that the tourism industry operating holidays to Africa maximises benefits to African communities.
The UK should create the first national responsible tourism in Africa strategy through industry charity, The Travel Foundation.
Francis said: “Responsible tourism, that is more authentic tourism that maximises the benefits to local people whilst minimising any negative environmental impacts, is the sleeping giant of the economies of many African communities.
“Compared to many other economic sectors (such as extractive industries) tourism is well positioned to benefit the truly poor, as it is their assets – such as cultures, land and wildlife – that people come to see.
“However, without G8 countries ensuring that their tourism industries to Africa operate in a responsible way, it’s the same old story – western and developed nations exploiting Africa for profit.”
Responsible travel.com estimates that African tourism can grow significantly – it attracts just 2.49% of international tourist arrivals compared with Asia’s 19.19%.
African tourism revenues are far bigger than aid budgets, with internationL tourism receipts worth $11.8 billion in 2002 against the US aid budget to Africa of $674 million, the company claims.
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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