WTO Believes Tourism Can be Tool in Fight against Poverty in Africa

African governments can help create the necessary market conditions to stimulate the development of tourism as a way to ward off poverty, officials from the World Tourism Organization (WTO) said today.

Speaking before attendants to a tourism seminar held in Mahe, Seychelles Islands, WTO Secretary-General Francesco Frangialli said Africa is one of the organization´s major concerns right now, given the many hurdles the continent is coping with on its way to full-blown development. But some of those snags -he said- can be worked out.

"Tourism has turned out to be recognized as a socioeconomic engine that can play a basic role in the African economy," said Dawid de Villiers, joint secretary-general of the WTO.

Mr.Villiers stressed on the possibility of creating new companies and enterprises in Africa in an effort to bring far more tourists to the region.

In the same breath, Mr. Villiers noted that further endeavors are required to help African nations come up with small-scale projects in order to give rural communities a more active role and reap benefits in the short and long run.

Attendants to the seminar agreed tourism development is a basic element in the struggle against poverty, an element that could eventually bring more investment cash flow to be poured into such essential services as healthcare and education.

Mozambique´s Tourism Minister Fernando Sumbana spelled out the details of the new Action Plan for Africa linked to the WTO´s own Africa Project, due out in July within the framework of the African Unity Summit.

Mr. Sumbana explained the plan could provide a perfect setting and all necessary funds to help put an end to poverty in the continent. Development and control of tourism-oriented policies, marketing strategies, promotional and advertisement efforts, research programs, investment development, infrastructure and travel products are some of the topics contained in the program.

Other delegates underscored the need to improve all transportation means, not only in terms of air travel, but also in finding new ways to funnel funds for building new roads and revamping old vehicle fleets with the help of development banks and international entities.