ABUJA – The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) on Thursday called for international aid support to ensure sustainability of the sector’s growing contribution to socioeconomic development.
This is contained in the June edition of UNWTO journal made available to newsmen in Abuja.
It said that the need for the support came while debating on tourism’s higher prioritisation in the development agenda at a Focus Session: “Tourism as an Engine for Growth and Development’’.
“Despite being a high-impact economic activity, a major job generator and a key export sector, accounting for six per cent of total trade.
“It receives only 0.5 per cent of the total Aid for Trade disbursements and a mere 0.13 per cent of the total Official Development Assistance,’’ it said.
The report highlighted that “the intersection of the three policy imperatives of tourism development, social inclusion and green growth could hold the key to substantial new resources.
“Tourism should be part of the new architecture of the Effective Development Cooperation Agenda helping to promote an inclusive, sustainable and people centered growth.
“Cooperation that flows for tourism can act as catalyses for national development efforts at different levels in middle income and least developed countries.
“These flows can trigger private sector investment, contributing to a greater effectiveness of Aid and poverty reduction,’’ the report said. (NAN)
