Regional tourism players meet in Gaborone

| Wednesday September 15, 2010 00:00

The CDE is an institution created under the framework of the EU-ACP Cotonou Agreement and funded by the European Development Fund (EDF).

The roundtable is Southern Africa's gateway for key representatives to assess conditions in the tourism sector, highlight opportunities, address challenges, exchange local and international experiences and best practices, develop essential networks, as well as map the strategies and instruments for investing in sustainable tourism in Southern Africa. These interactions and interventions will cascade from firm level to national, regional and global levels. 

In a statement Sid Boubekeur, the Head of CDE Southern Africa Regional Office said that 'Tourism is an effective tool for generating sustainable economic returns, conserving the environmental biodiversity and creating investment opportunities.  To guide the impetus for investing in sustainable tourism, a host of local and international speakers have been mobilised and will provide different perspectives in numerous areas and topics that face the sector'. 

The international speakers include top corporate advisors, consultants and managing and chief executive officers, icons of air transport industry, leading international tour operators, and strategist for tourism growth and development.

Other speakers include designers of various tourism packages, energy experts, and marketing experts. The speakers vary from hotel chain, spa and golf and, river cruise ships to safari and community based tourism leaders and developers.

The roundtable will attract an audience from key tourism sector representatives from the region, tourism boards and councils, tourism associations and support bodies, SMEs, and community based tourism associations/bodies.   These key players have been instrumental in building the tourism industry in Southern Africa and maintaining the growth momentum, even during a period of international financial crisis and recession.The roundtable which is being held at Gaborone Sun Hotel, ends on Thursday.