Investment, development and air connectivity, keys to INVESTOUR 2013

Air connectivity between Africa and the European continent, regional development and the possibilities for investments in the tourist sector will be the main issues on the fourth edition of INVESTOUR. The morning session of this edition this year will have a dynamic and participative format, with two round tables, which will combine the display of data and information with debate and public participation, whilst dealing with the latest topics related to Africa and the tourist sector.

Around 20 ministries of Tourism from African countries have already confirmed their attendance at the "African" event of the International Tourism Fair, which will allow Spanish businesses to make contact with African institutions in the sector. 

In the morning, INVESTOUR will be used to generate knowledge and debate on the situation and possibilities of the tourist sector in Africa, while in the afternoon, it will put Spanish businesses in contact with African representatives of the sector through business meetings (B2B). In this year's edition, more than 50 Spanish companies have confirmed their participation to find out about a total of 213 African projects in 37 different countries.

Programme
Top officials from the institutions that organise the Forum, Luis Eduardo Cortés (president of IFEMA), Santiago Martínez-Caro (Casa África's General Director) and Taleb Rifai (General Secretary of the World Tourism Organisation, WTO), will be in charge of opening this event, led by WTO's Regional Director for Africa, Ousmane Ndiaye, once again emphasizing the great opportunity this is for the Spanish tourist sector, due to the fact that its know-how can make contact with African businessmen in search of knowledge, advice or financial muscle to set up their businesses, which are mainly related to the construction of hotel complexes, local development through tourism or training.

The first round table will discuss the challenges and opportunities of tourism development in Africa will hear about the options that Spanish businesses have to invest in Africa, or how African banks are acting in the tourism investment field. The table will also show how countries such as Mozambique are working on their tourism development, hear about  how the National Park policy is being carried out in Tanzania or get to know the experiences of the Spanish tour operator,  Nuba, who specialises in "a la carte trips" in Africa.

The second round table will deal with air connectivity and regional development. Companies such as Iberia, Binter Canarias, Turkish Airlines or Brussel Airlines will present their actions with Africa and their planning for opening up of routes, which are in response to the growth of traffic and the economic expectations in African countries. The presence of four airline companies will show not only the "African" vision of companies with a clear international vocation, such as Iberia or Turkish Airlines, but also the case of the small regional airline Binter Canarias, which has taken the African continent as its natural area to expand from the Canary Islands. Together with this growing air connectivity with Africa, the table will also allow the discussion of African regional development as a decisive factor for the increase in tourism. This morning session will be closed by Senegal's Minister of Tourism, Youssou N’Dour, who will present projects for Tourist development in Senegal.

INVESTOUR's morning session will be held on Thursday 31st January from 10.00 am onwards in halls 107-108 in the North Centre of Conventions and Congresses. The session is open to all public accredited to FITUR, whilst in the afternoon only registered companies will be able to take part in the B2B meetings.