Canada Association of Tourism Employees

The Africa Tourism Restoration Declaration is signed

Yesterday was a good day for Najib Balala, Kenya’s Minister of Tourism. It was a good day for African tourism.
The Africa Tourism Recovery Summit in Kenya set the tone for a new trend led by 3 tourism leaders bringing vision, power and money to the plate. The Nairobi Declaration was signed.

1. Kenya and Jamaica could have the golden key to tourism recovery in Africa with a little help from Saudi Arabia – and it showed in Kenya yesterday with a landmark MOU and statement.
2. Kenya’s Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife, the Hon. Najib Balala had the vision and he has the influence in Africa – and it has shown. Yesterday, an enthusiastic and proud Kenyan tourism guide officially opened the Africa Tourism Recovery Summit, pointing out that Africa’s 1.3 billion people have resources, young people and a rapidly growing middle class to support.
3. The Hon. Edmund Bartlett, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, was an African at heart. He has been a member of the African Tourism Board since 2018 and was instrumental in the ATB Project Hope Project. He brought the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center to Africa.

Kenya’s Minister Balala commented, “We are meeting here to find out how our decisions can work to transform Africa’s tourism sector. I firmly believe that cooperation is possible.

“Today’s story is about us in Africa and what we can do for ourselves. Africa is a large continent with 1.3 billion people, endowed with resources that others can only envy. Africa is a continent of young people. Africa is a continent with the fastest growing middle class “

The co-chair of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center in Jamaica, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, and the chair of the Global Tourism Resilience and Crisis Management Center – Eastern Africa, Kenyatta University, Hon. Najib Balala today held a so called groundbreaking one between the two centers MoU signed.

This paves the way for the two centers to work on guidelines – relevant research on destination preparation, management and recreation.

Another local tourism guide with a global perspective and a big heart for Africa attended the Africa Tourism Recovery Summit yesterday. The Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb from Saudi Arabia supports global tourism with billions of dollars. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has become a strong global player and Minister Al Khateeb is leading this effort.

The Saudi minister had recently shown great interest not only in Africa but in many other parts of the world. When tourism needs help anywhere in the world, Saudi Arabia responds.

Three leaders who have the power, the vision and the money to make a difference were brought together in an intense conversation yesterday in Kenya.

Three honorary ministers meet in Kenya at the Africa Tourism Recovery Summit: Ahmed Al Khateeb (Saudi Arabia) Najib Balala (Kenya) Edmund Bartlett (Jamaica)

The host, the Hon. Minister of Tourism and Wildlife, Najib Balala, welcomed the delegation to the Africa-Tourism Recovery Summit held on Friday at the Villa Rosa Kempinski Hotel in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, and made the following remarks: