In this interview with Ugo Aliogo, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Zigona Advisory Limited, Mrs. Ngozi Ngoka, speaks on the contribution of the Tourism and Hospitality industry to global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Excerpts.

How is tourism contributing to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goals 8, 12 and 14 and the African Union Agenda 2063?
The tourism and hospitality industry contributes a lot to the growth and development of every economy. One in every four new jobs was created by the sector, making tourism and hospitality the best partner for governments to generate employment. For every job created in the core tourism industry, around 1.5 indirect jobs are created in the wider tourism related economies.

The sector contributed about 7.7 percent to global GDP in 2022. The global tourism industry, which blends the lodging, food, beverages, attractions, cultural, and travel industries, is the world’s largest industry ecosystem. Tourism and hospitality generated 295 million jobs globally representing 6 percent of workforce in 2022, employing a higher share of youth and women than any other sector of the global economy. The sectors are priority for the United Nation’s AGENDA 2030, Sustainable Development Goals, and Goals 8, 12 and 14 for national and international development.

What are the benefits of AfCFTA for the Tourism and Hospitality Sectors?

The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) ratified in 2021, is a landmark milestone for the African continent. Among the top objectives of AfCFTA is to improve intra-African trade through harmonization and easing the movement of people, goods, and services. Historically, intra-African trade has been low, with most trade-oriented towards other regions of the world. AfCFTA’s ultimate goal is to create a single African Market for Goods and Services.

To achieve this goal, trade barriers between participating African countries are being gradually and systematically removed to allow for free movement of people, goods and services across Africa. At the moment, 54 countries are participating, connecting about 1.3 billion people, with a combined GDP of about $3.4 trillion.
It is currently the largest trade area in the world. As part of the next phase of implementation, from this year, 2023, the AfCFTA Guided Trade is focusing on “Trade in Services in the five priority areas, namely: Tourism, transport, Business Services; Communication Services; Financial Services; Transport Services, and Tourism and Travel-related Services”- This is a clever move because free movement of people will bring about an increase in demand for hotels, accommodation, food and transportation services. These are areas where opportunities abound for the Tourism and Hospitality Sector.

With more efficient visa protocols among participating countries, making it easier for people to travel, we are already seeing an increase in the number of business and leisure travelers to and within Africa; there is increased demand for hotels, accommodation, restaurants and fast-food chains and it is the reason there is an influx of international hotels and restaurant chains expanding into various parts of Africa. This conference explored how the tourism and hospitality economy can support greater intra-African trade and broader regional integration through more Africa-driven cultural, creatives and sports exchanges, African programmes, and African tourism products.

You were one of the speakers at The PYNE – NESG Africa Tourism Conference 2023 in Lagos. What were the key objectives of the conference?

The Pyne Hospitality Africa and Zigona Advisory, in collaboration with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) have brought together, all categories of Stakeholders in the Tourism Value Chain, from different parts of Africa, to address some of the issues mitigating against intra- African Travel in the African Tourism Sector and exchange ideas on best practices to increase international arrivals into the continent while protecting our environment, cultural and historical values.

Some of the main objectives of the conference was to agree on how optimized tourism governance frameworks can significantly enable increased intra-African tourism in an era of continental integration promotion. The conference also provided the platform to agree on viable ways for ease of travel within Africa, this includes transportation, immigration processes and laws, digital information on destination, security and destination branding and marketing.

It was an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss ways to boost domestic travel in each African country. The conference also helped stakeholders to discuss ways to increase African Tourism offerings by linking a synergy between tourism, sports, creatives entertainment and culture industries for a more robust African tourism experience.

The conference also helped to promote the use of technology for efficient and seamless tourism experience in Africa. It also helped to create sectoral opportunities for women and youth as a means of poverty elevation and rural development.

The theme was: “Tourism in Africa: Catalyst For Accelerated Economic Empowerment.” Why the choice of the theme especially in a time where most Africa government don’t prioritize the tourism potential?

The choice of theme of the conference is firmly linked to the strategic thrust of the conference which is to promote sustainable development initiatives, enhance easy access within Africa, improve the effectiveness of domestic travel and intra-African travel. Another thrust of the conference to analyze more effective ways the public and private sectors can ensure tourism in Africa is globally competitive, profitable.

The conference is also hinged on measures to explore ways technology can improve travel and tourism activities in Africa. It is further designed to advance ways and modalities for inclusive development of Tourism in Africa as a means of meeting the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal for Women and Youth economic empowerment especially in rural communities.

What were the expected outcomes of the conference?

One of the outcomes was that it increased tourism numbers into Africa through collaboration between countries and a well-defined synergy between tourism, culture, sports and creative industries. It also helped to redefine profitable and sustainable tourism industry in Africa. The conference helped stakeholders to dialogue on to redesign better and more efficient intra-Africa travel. It also increased participation of women and youth in African Tourism.

Zigona Advisory is one of the key players in the Nigeria tourism market in the last 25years. How has been the journey so far?

Zigona Advisory Limited is a travel, tourism and hospitality consultancy company established to provide clients with a range of services including training, tourism planning strategy, product development and reorganization, experience development, destination branding, marketing and digital, consumer trends and tourism insight, and travel, tourism and hospitality recruitment.

Zigona Advisory helps create and maintain successful, sustainable tourism destinations and memorable experiences for both local and international tourists. They have harnessed a network of industry experts to bring together a bespoke management team of over 100 years combined experience consistently deliver the best thinking in the company’s strategic planning and implementation, based on international best practices.

The company has firmed up Global franchises and partnerships with organizations like International Air Transport Association (IATA), International Hospitality Institute (IHI) in the USA, and the American Hotels and Lodging Education Institute (AHLEI), to offer world class curriculum-based trainings and issue globally recognized certificates that will give an edge to jobseekers and provide access to efficient continuing education for corporate clients.

The THITG of the NESG is one of the three thematic groups which form the Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment, Creatives and Sports Policy Commission of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group. Like all other thematic groups at NESG, our job is to advocate for progressive public policies that are geared towards the development of the tourism and hospitality economic sectors in keeping with our mandate, which is to champion the reform of the Nigerian economy into one that is modern, open and globally competitive.

Women play a leading role in the business of Tourism and Hospitality. What are the opportunities for investment and participation for women in the sector? How much of women involvement have gone into promoting the growth of the sector in Africa over the years?

Women play a leading role in the business of Tourism and Hospitality. Additionally, tourism creates jobs in rural and remote areas, not only directly, but also indirectly through the preservation and restoration of traditional activities and values.

The explicit mention of Tourism in Goal 8, target 8.9 of the Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs) recognizes its transformational potential on livelihoods and prosperity in rural communities, through providing access to decent employment and through reviving traditional local industries.

By providing opportunities for women, youth and rural communities in a variety of roles, the industry contributes to several SDG target areas surrounding empowerment of vulnerable groups, as well as more equal and inclusive societies. These benefits are however not fully considered in many parts of the African continent mostly because of the serious challenges surrounding employment for this target group.