Zambia to host 2nd UN Tourism Africa & Americas Summit in April 2025

ZAMBIA – The 2nd UN Tourism Africa & Americas Summit, co-organized by UN Tourism and Zambia’s Ministry of Tourism, will be held in Livingstone, Zambia, from 8–10 April 2025.

the upcoming summit will convene tourism ministers from Africa and the Americas along with senior officials and industry leaders to foster investment, enhance air connectivity, and promote sustainable tourism development.

The event is set to concentrate on key areas such as improving air connectivity, building resilience, attracting investment, and advancing education and skills development, all aimed at unlocking new opportunities for regional integration, spurring economic growth, and creating a more sustainable and inclusive future for both regions.

The summit builds on the success of the first UN Tourism Africa & Americas Summit, whose major highlight was the adoption of the Punta Cana Declaration.

This declaration was established at the conclusion of the inaugural joint meeting of UN Tourism’s Regional Commissions for Africa and the Americas after two days of collaborative dialogue centered on education and investments in the sector.

Recognizing the historic ties and complementary cultures of the two regions, the summit served as a landmark platform for enhanced cooperation that leverages innovation, education, investments, and the creative industries for the future development of tourism.

Signatories of the declaration signaled their intention to redouble efforts by focusing on several critical areas, including strategic investments aimed at strengthening public-private partnerships and stimulating sector investments through effective policymaking, while also boosting connectivity through improved air links and enriched cultural exchange.

They committed to prioritizing skills development and training by investing in tourism education and expanding access to both online and offline learning, as well as by promoting innovative digital skills to enhance the capabilities of the tourism workforce.

In addition, they vowed to support innovation through competitions for start-up enterprises and entrepreneurs in both regions, to bolster micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in rural communities, and to promote sustainable solutions focused on climate action.

Furthermore, there was a pledge to advance the role of cultural and creative industries by funding projects with the potential to attract tourists and develop diverse destinations and cultural routes, ensuring that the benefits of tourism contribute to social and inclusive development.

Lastly, the summit aimed to foster inter-regional cooperation by supporting comprehensive market analysis and research to identify shared growth opportunities and by developing collaborative strategies for tourism development through digital media, innovative products, and international tourism trade fairs, thereby catalyzing a new era of growth and collaboration in the tourism sector.

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