When tourism leaders from around the world come together to discuss the future of the industry, we often start by reflecting on the challenges. Yet, despite the hurdles we have faced over the past five years, these moments have shaped our resilience and driven us forward. At the 1st UN Tourism Africa & Americas Summit, there was a noticeable shift—our conversations were no longer defined by obstacles but by the incredible progress we have made in turning challenges into opportunities.
I participated in a panel titled “Unlocking Tourism Investment Potential for and between Africa and the Americas” and I could only speak for the African tourism landscape, but my fellow panelists’ perspectives often aligned with my own. We are all grappling with issues like visa delays and infrastructural hurdles, but hearing about the progress being made across these regions—and the spirit of innovation driving it—was truly exhilarating.
During the panel, I highlighted three key challenges facing Africa and proposed actionable solutions to address them. Our key issues are a lack of collaborative entrepreneurship, an expectation for government solutions, and insufficient access to finance. The hospitality industry’s success relies on innovation, yet a stigma surrounding failure hampers entrepreneurship.
Leaders must address this stigma by providing mentorship, and support to foster a culture of entrepreneurship that allows innovation to thrive.
There also needs to be a shift in the relationship between government and the private sector. We cannot expect the government to save the industry. Leaders in the sector must move past complacency and take the initiative to put Africa back on the map ourselves. This brings me to the final hurdle – access to finance. Local banks often lack an understanding of how hotels and key tourism infrastructure operate, and multilateral organisations meant to provide financial support frequently fall short. To address this, we need to focus on overcoming the first two hurdles to promote tourism as an asset class.
Overcoming these obstacles requires not just local leadership but also collaboration across borders. This is why the 1st UN Tourism Africa & Americas Summit was such a valuable platform, highlighting the potential of South-to-South partnerships between our regions to highlight our unparalleled offerings. My fellow panelist Daniel Scioli, Secretary of Tourism, Environment and Sports in Argentina put this sentiment perfectly when he said America and Africa have it all—areas of peace, cultural diversity, excellent gastronomy, and natural wonders.
We have much to offer, but getting the ball rolling requires the kind of collaboration that only summits like these can provide.
The Author Hamza Farooqui is the Founder and CEO of Millat Group
