By Christopher Ambe
and Calesta Nkengasong*
Cameroon’s Minister of
State for Tourism, Bello Bouba Maigari, Yesterday October 17, opened the 38th
Congress of ATA in Buea, during which he told delegates that, Cameroon is a
great tourist attraction, begging for exploitation. Minister Bello B. Maigari (in white dress) arriving congress hall. |
ATA, acronym for Africa
Travel Association, was established as an international travel industry trade
association in 1975 “to promote travel, tourism and transport to and within Africa,
and to strengthen intra-Africa partnerships “, according congress documents.
ATA whose mission is
“to bring the world to Africa and Africa to the world” partners with the African
Union Commission (AUC) to promote the sustainable development of tourism to and
across Africa. ATA is headquartered in New York-USA, where it is registered as
a non-profit association.
The 38th Congress,
which is running from October 16-20, at Buea Mountain Hotel, is under the high
patronage of Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, as well as under the auspices of
Cameroon’s Minister of State for Tourism and Leisure, in partnership with ATA.
The Congress has as
theme “Cameroon, a Destination to Rediscover: Emerging Products and Niche Markets”.
Congress delegates came from countries such as
Cameroon, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Canada and the
USA.
Also in attendance were the Ugandan Minister of Tourism and Wild Life,
Hon. Agnes Akiror Egungu; the Zimbabwean Minister for Tourism ,and
Mrs. Estherine Lisinge Fotabong,a senior official of NEPAD(the Development
Arm of African Union,AU),who gave a presentation, stressing that African must look for
available opportunities to create
jobs and adding that tourism is one of
such areas. “The moment is now; the time
is now. Africa is an emerging market”, Mrs. Lisinge Fotbong remarked.
Congress Officials at High Table at the opening ceremony |
Opening the congress, Cameroon’s
Tourism Minister Bello Bouba Magairi, who was sitting in for the country’s
Prime Minister Philemon Yang, said “Thanks to her natural resources, cultural
diversity and the political stability she enjoys, Cameroon is a tourist
Eldorado”
But he regretted that
“in spite of these assets, Cameroon’s rich tourist potential is yet to be fully
exploited”.
He called for the
transformation of Cameroon’s tourist potential into innovative products- so to
sell better in major international markets such as North American markets; this
way, he said, “Cameroon will become an emerging destination”
Minister Maigari said the congress is holding
at a time when tourism is ranked the biggest world industry, noting that Cameroon
has succeeded in securing a major position among tourist destination in Africa.
The Cameroonian minister
disclosed: “Cameroon recorded a landmark score of 572,000 international
tourists in 2010.This figure has kept on increasing every year.Today, performance
indicators show that Cameroon has reached more than 700,000 international tourists,
thus confirming its status of tourist destination in accordance with the
criteria of the World Tourism Organization”
Noting that Cameroon
has good relationship with ATA, Minister Maigari said the former was admitted
into ATA in 1986. He recalled that Cameroon hosted the 12th Congress
of ATA in 1987 and the 5th Symposium on Ecotourism, Trade and
Investment in November 2001 and then the 29th Congress in May 2004.
He pointed out that Cameroon
as ATA Board member has “carried out several promotion tours of the Cameroon destination
in the US with the support of ATA”
The Minister said
Cameroon is determined to boost tourist industry, adding that the laws governing
tourist activities and the tourism development strategy are under review and that,
a code of investment incentives has been enacted.
In order to strengthen Cameroon’s
position in the American tourist market, Minister Maigari said the country has
set up specific objectives viz: Make the tourist products of Cameroon known to
the Americans; Increase both public and private investments in the tourist
sector and to develop partnership s between Cameroonian and the American
stakeholders
He concluded his opening
speech by calling on the congress to adopt only resolutions that would foster “the
development and promotion of tourism in our various countries, in a significant
and sustainable manner”
Taking the floor, Edward J. Bergman, Executive Director of ATA said the choice
of Buea for the congress is help
expose Cameroon to the international tourism industry in order that there can be an increase flow of tourists
across the world to Cameroon. He said
the congress has offered Cameroon the opportunity to share her rich tourism
potentials and attractions.
Delegates in family picture with Minister Maigari and ATA officials |
Briefing
the press after the opening ceremony, Mr. Bergman admitted that Cameroon has
great potentials, but noted that “a major challenge remains infrastructure. “
Infrastructure is not only the responsibility of tourism. Infrastructure is the
responsibility of the entire society,” he said
He
hoped that Cameroon would continue to develop and promote its tourism
infrastructure and focus also on e tourism education and training.
Earlier
in his welcome address, Mosoko Edward, Deputy Mayor of Buea, gave a brief presentation
of Buea and its tourist attractions such as Mount Cameroon-the highest peak in
West/Central Africa; he said the town has about 200,000 residents with the
Bakweri people being the natives.
The
mayor said tourism is the engine of growth, emphasizing that if Africa must
become an emerging continent, then the role of ATA is of great significance.
The
opening ceremony was graced by cultural dances from Cameroon’s diverse ethnic
groupings.
(*Calesta Nkengasong is a journalism intern
from the University of Buea-Cameroon)
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