By Professor Chris Imafidon, the multi world record holder in education joins heads of governments, ministers and secretaries of state in a UN ministerial summit in London. At the end, a new educational initiative is launched to boost economic success and eliminate youth unemployment across nations.
Education: Key to National and regional transformation
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Ministers Summit in London on November 7, 2023, highlighted the vital importance of education in transforming tourism. With more than double the number of Ministerial-level participants than the previous year, the Summit emphasized the strong interest in this critical topic according to veteran BBC journalist and author of a much anticipated book, Ms Zainab Badawi.
UNWTO Executive Director Natalia Bayona underscored the vital importance of investing in education, noting that tourism can establish itself as a top employer of youth and driver of youth empowerment. However, she also pointed out that around 10% of the global population aged between 15 to 24 are unemployed and 14% hold only basic qualifications.
UN Initiatives for Education
UNWTO is leading the way in promoting tourism education through a variety of initiatives, including:
- The launch of its Education Toolkit in October 2023, which will enable countries everywhere to introduce tourism as a high school subject.
- The Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainable Tourism Management offered in partnership with the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
- The UNWTO Online Academy, to which 30 universities worldwide contribute content.
- On-the-ground training programs at the Riyadh School of Hospitality and Tourism in Saudi Arabia and the Tourism Academy in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Ministers Share Insights on Education in Tourism
Ministers from participating countries shared their insights on the place of education in the future of tourism, with a focus on supporting education at every stage and upskilling new and existing tourism workers.
- The Minister for South Africa outlined how the country has launched a tourism equity fund to bridge the gap between student skills and employer needs.
- In the Philippines, tourism education extends from high school to vocational degrees.
- Jordan is working to boost the abilities of tourism workers, including in language skills.
- The Ministers from Mauritius, Malta, and Indonesia stressed the vital need to upskill new and existing tourism workers.
Public-Private Partnerships Essential for Success
The private sector was represented at the Summit by leaders from Riyadh Air and JTB (Japan Tourism Bureau) Corp., who echoed the Ministers’ focus on the importance of public-private partnerships, stressing that governments need to work with businesses to ensure training meets the needs of employers.
Implications for Africa
The UNWTO Ministers Summit in London has important implications for Africa. With its young and growing population, Africa has the potential to become a global tourism powerhouse. However, this will only happen if the continent invests in education and skills development to ensure that its workforce has the skills needed to succeed in the tourism sector.
African Governments Roles
African governments can learn from the examples of other countries, such as South Africa and the Philippines, which are investing in tourism education at all levels. They can also work with the private sector to develop public-private partnerships that will help to ensure that training meets the needs of employers.
Specifically, African governments can:
- Introduce tourism as a high school subject.
- Develop vocational and degree programs in tourism management and hospitality.
- Provide scholarships and other financial assistance to students pursuing tourism education.
- Partner with the private sector to develop training programs that meet the needs of employers.
- Invest in tourism infrastructure, such as hotels, resorts, and transportation, to create jobs and opportunities for young people.
By taking these steps, African governments can help to transform tourism into a sector that drives sustainable growth and development for the continent.
CONCLUSION
The UNWTO Ministers Summit in London was a landmark event that highlighted the vital importance of education in transforming tourism. African governments can play a key role in this process by investing in education and skills development, working with the private sector, and investing in tourism infrastructure.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK
Professor Chris Imafidon is chair, ExcellenceinEducation.org.uk, an alliance of inner-city educational charities and institutions that mentors youths, women and professionals in the commonwealth. He is a multi-Guinness World record holder; internationally renowned adviser to monarchs, governments, presidents and corporate leaders; Mentor to multi-millionaire tech entrepreneurs & many world record holders. His Artificial Intelligence, and other research or innovation have been recognised internationally, winning multiple awards. Professor Imafidon is 5X International Bestselling author; Mentor to New York Times Bestsellers and a Sunday Times Op-ed author, a Wall Street Journal BestSelling author and a regular contributor to British and international media;. [Twitter @ChrisImafidon; Instagram @CoImafidon; Facebook/Linkedln/ClubHouse –Professor Chris Imafidon
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