Luanda — The Angolan hotels and tourism sector, in the year 2004, contributed with 96.9 million US dollars to the growth of the national economy, according to data released in Luanda, by the deputy minister for Hotels and Tourism, Paulino Baptista.

Out of the mentioned amount, the hotels section contributed with 56,4 per cent, the travel agencies and tourism itself with 30,3 per cent, hostels with 10,1 per cent, restaurants and similar places with 3,2 per cent.

Speaking at the first methodological meeting of Angolan Press attachés, which took place last week, the deputy minister explained that travel agencies managed to get profits of 29,4 million dollars with ticket sales, accommodation bookings, assistance to tourists, and others.

He explained that in that period the number of foreign visitors reached a total of 194,300 tourists, representing an increase of 82 per cent, since the figure for 2003 is 106,600 .

Still in the year 2004, said the official, most tourists came from Portugal, South Africa, France, United States, United Kingdom and Brazil.

Paulino Baptista also informed that the hotels and tourism sector, in the referred period, employed 51.4 thousand workers, 51 per cent of whom are women.