Washington, DC — The Corporate Council on Africa's first major conference and trade show in the travel, tourism and gaming industries concluded last week, October 2, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The conference, which was designed to promote tourism to Africa and provide American businesses with investment opportunities, attracted participants from 23 countries in Africa as well as the ministers of tourism from Mauritius, Nigeria and Rwanda.
The conference featured workshops ranging from economic opportunities in gaming to eco-tourism and safety and security. CCA President Stephen Hayes commented, I was pleased with the substance of the workshops. A participant could attend the workshops and at the end of the conference have a good idea how to develop his or her business with Africa.
One of the highlights of the conference was the trade show, which featured 38 booths showcasing some of the best places to travel in Africa and the fastest ways to get there. Participants could watch a guided tour of gorillas at Rwanda's booth, enter to win a free trip to Kenya at the booth for Kenya Airways, or chose from a range of cosmetic procedures at Surgeon and Safari. From the exhibition booth for Mauritius, Nandcoomar Bodha, Minister of Tourism and Leisure commented, At the end of the day, behind the magic of tourism is the logic of business. We have to package it. We have to market it.
The conference gave participants the opportunity to market tourism to Africa and dispel some of the lingering stereotypes about travel to Africa. One South African participant commented, The impression of South Africa is that people are dying on the streets of AIDS. It is difficult to convince people who only hear the negatives, but those who do go, come away more than impressed. A U.S. slot machine manufacturer and distributor, Arnold A. Kaminkow, agreed with this assessment, pointing out that. The challenge will be to convince people to come to Africa to vacation, that it's affordable and safe to go to.
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Tourism is the third most important industry for Africa and it is important for Americans to take advantage of the resources and market on the continent. James A. Harmon, chairman of the Corporate Council on Africa, explained, Africa needs an infusion of capital. That means there is a push to attract major corporations. But there is also an opportunity for entrepreneurs to develop small business ideas there.
The Corporate Council on Africa recognizes the importance of developing the tourism industry in Africa as well as providing a forum for increased U.S. involvement. Given the success of the 2002 Africa Travel Tourism and Gaming Conference, CCA plans to make this an ongoing event. For more information on the conference go to CCA's website www.africacncl.org.
CCA, established in 1992, is a nonpartisan 501 (c) (3) membership organization of nearly 150 American corporations dedicated to strengthening the commercial relationship between the United States and Africa. CCA members represent nearly 85 percent of total U.S. private sector investments in Africa. CCA's website is at www.africacncl.org.
