Africa-Press – Gambia. High Commissioner of the Republic of The Gambia to South Africa
Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit
25 June 2025 | Midrand, South Africa
Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Industry Leaders, Esteemed Development Partners, Colleagues, and most importantly, the brilliant, energetic, and visionary Youth of Africa.
It is both an honour and a deep privilege to address you this morning at the 7th Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit. I bring you warm greetings from the Government and the people of the Republic of The Gambia—the Smiling Coast of Africa.
Let me begin by thanking the organisers—Africa Tourism Partners, UN Tourism, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, South African Tourism, and the Joburg Tourism Company—for curating such an empowering platform for African youth to shine.
This Summit is not just a conference—it is a powerful testament to the belief that our youth are not only the future of Africa’s tourism industry, but its present architects. As I stand before you today, I am filled with hope. Hope that we are nurturing a generation bold enough to reimagine tourism, inclusive enough to involve every community, and creative enough to turn challenges into opportunity.
1. The power and promise of inclusive tourism
Tourism is one of the most human industries in the world. It is rooted in storytelling, in movement, in culture, and in exchange. It has the potential to touch every aspect of life—from employment and education, to environmental protection and cultural preservation.
But what truly makes tourism powerful is when it becomes inclusive.
Inclusive tourism ensures that no one is left behind. That the benefits of tourism are not concentrated in luxury resorts and corporate offices alone, but are felt in villages, townships, family-run guesthouses, local craft stalls, and heritage sites. It means recognising the contributions of women, of youth, of informal vendors, and of the elderly who pass down cultural knowledge.
It means celebrating the diversity of Africa not just as a selling point, but as a source of pride and empowerment.
2. Youth: Africa’s largest and most valuable resource
Africa is the youngest continent on Earth, with 70% of our population under the age of 30. By 2030, young Africans will make up 42% of the world’s youth. But despite this demographic dividend, many of our young people remain unemployed, underemployed, or disengaged from the formal economy.
Tourism can and must change that.
Because of its low entry barriers, tourism offers countless pathways for young people to participate—whether as digital content creators, tour guides, tech innovators, cultural curators, chefs, transport entrepreneurs, or even policy influencers.
We must ask ourselves: What systems are we creating to support our youth in this industry? Are we offering the right education and training? Are we giving them access to funding? Are we listening to their ideas and involving them in policy?
The future of African tourism must not be built for youth—it must be built with youth.
3. Creating tourism clusters: local solutions for continental impact
The theme of this session—“Creating tourism clusters as formal and informal commercial villages for youth, women employment and financial inclusion”—is not only timely but visionary.
Tourism clusters are ecosystems. They bring together tourism operators, accommodation providers, transport services, cultural performers, crafters, food vendors, and digital platforms in one geographical area. When done right, they create local economies of scale, reduce unemployment, increase income, and preserve cultural identity.
Allow me to share a few examples.
In Rwanda, community-based tourism in the Volcanoes National Park region allows local families to host tourists, perform cultural dances, and sell handmade goods. A portion of park entrance fees is reinvested into community projects such as schools and water systems.
In South Africa, township tourism in areas like Soweto and Khayelitsha has created opportunities for youth to become tour guides, musicians, food entrepreneurs, and storytellers—reclaiming their narrative and identity through tourism.
In The Gambia, we have developed craft markets and eco-villages supported by the Ministry of Tourism. These are not only spaces for selling products—they are centres of learning, intergenerational mentorship, and empowerment for young women, especially those in rural areas.
Each of these clusters becomes more than a business zone—it becomes a space of belonging, a centre of culture, and a pillar of economic stability.
4. Women and girls: the backbone of tourism
Let us speak frankly—African women are the invisible engine of tourism.
Across the continent, women make up the majority of workers in the hospitality and tourism sector—many of them in informal, unprotected roles. They are the cooks, the cleaners, the dancers, the basket weavers, the receptionists, the tour hosts. And yet, they often lack access to decent pay, safety, training, and decision-making roles.
This cannot continue.
We must commit to gender-responsive tourism policies that ensure; equal pay, protection against exploitation, leadership development, and support women-led enterprises.
Financial inclusion is also key. Women often lack access to collateral and banking services. If we want women to thrive in tourism clusters, we must partner with financial institutions to design microfinance schemes tailored to their needs—flexible, fair, and accessible.
Let us also not forget the power of mentorship. Every successful woman in tourism today has the opportunity to guide another. I urge women leaders in this room to lift as you rise. Bring other sisters along. Empower them with knowledge, networks, and confidence.
5. Innovation, finance, and digital empowerment
The digital economy is changing tourism at lightning speed. From online bookings to virtual reality tours, from mobile payments to digital passports—technology is no longer an option, it is essential.
Our young people are digital natives. They understand these platforms better than anyone. What they need is access—to devices, to training, and to capital.
Public and private sector partnerships must create innovation labs, tech hubs, and incubators dedicated to tourism solutions. Imagine apps that connect tourists to underexplored cultural routes. Imagine blockchain-powered platforms for artisan authentication. Imagine youth-led agencies creating immersive virtual safaris.
In The Gambia, we have seen young creatives develop mobile apps for heritage sites and tour bookings. Others have used Instagram and TikTok to market rural guesthouses to international audiences, attracting attention—and revenue—from new markets.
Let us not be afraid to dream big, and let us equip our youth with the tools to do the same.
6. The Gambia’s commitment to inclusive tourism
As High Commissioner of The Gambia to South Africa, I stand here today as a proud representative of a country that is deeply invested in tourism as a force for national transformation.
Our National Development Plan (NDP) places tourism at the heart of sustainable development. We have launched community tourism projects, youth skills training programmes, and women’s cooperatives in tourism-heavy regions.
We are also exploring partnerships with regional bodies and international investors to enhance eco-tourism, digital promotion, and diaspora engagement in cultural tourism.
To our brothers and sisters across Africa—we invite you to collaborate with us. Let us share knowledge, pool resources, and build an Africa where the tourism industry belongs to everyone.
7. A call to Africa’s youth
Now I turn my heart and my words directly to the young people here and those watching online.
You are not passengers in Africa’s tourism story. You are the authors.
If you see gaps—fill them with courage. If you see barriers—break them with creativity. If you see opportunities—pursue them with discipline and heart.
Let your village be your brand. Let your language be your pride. Let your culture be your currency.
The world is watching Africa—not for what we were, but for what we are becoming. And the light they see… is you.
Closing: walking together
As I close, I remind you of a simple truth: Tourism is not about places—it is about people.
It is about how we treat each other, how we honour our heritage, and how we build bridges between tradition and innovation, between generations and genders, between nations and dreams.
In The Gambia, we have a saying:
If we walk together, we walk far.
Let us walk together. Let us innovate together. Let us build a tourism industry that reflects the soul of Africa—diverse, dynamic, and deeply inclusive.
Thank you. May this summit ignite a new era for African tourism, led by its youth, empowered by its women, and sustained by its communities.
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