​Minister of Tourism, Lindiwe Sisulu will attend the 116th session of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) to be held on 7-8 June 2022 in Jeddah, Suadi Arabia.

Minister Sisulu and her delegation have been invited to participate in the following activities which are part of the programme of work:
• To assess the impact of COVID-19 on international tourism, UNWTO has provided comprehensive, reliable and updated information such as the UNWTO Recommendations for Action and the UNWTO Global Guidelines to Restart Tourism, COVID-19 Tourism Technical Assistance Package, etc.

The Minister is requested to take note of the activities carried out by the Secretariat to implement the programme of work and also take note that as one of the activities on the programme of work, South Africa is implementing a Women in Tourism Empowerment Pilot Programme in Limpopo Province with UNWTO providing technical support. The TSSS branch is managing the project.

Over the last few years, tourism has been severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis, with a negative impact in many countries. However, tourism has proved to be an economically sound and resilient activity as well as an important lever for the recovery of commercial transactions on a global scale.

“Together, we can overcome the current global challenge, and to do so, we need to join forces and act decisively to restore confidence. Through our initiatives, we will build traveller confidence and promote the structural transformation that is needed to build a stronger, sustainable and resilient tourism economy” said Sisulu.

The Minister's attendance at the UNWTO is testament that South Africa is at front and centre of the tourism global agenda.

Mr Mpumzi Zuzile (Ministry of Tourism)

Tel: 060 955 9035

E-mail: MZuzile@tourism.gov.za

Mr Steve Motale (Ministry of Tourism)
Tel: 083 748 0719
E-Mail:smotale@tourism.gov.za
For further information visit: www.tourism.gov.za @Tourism_gov_za

ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM