BY OWN CORESPONDENT

As the 7th Africa Tourism Leadership Forum gets underway in Gaborone, Botswana, stakeholders from across the continent are highlighting the urgent need for visa-free travel to unlock Africa’s vast tourism potential.

“The current visa restrictions are a major barrier to tourism growth in Africa,” said Botswana’s Vice President, Slumber Tsogwane, in his keynote address on Wednesday. “We need to liberalize travel and trade to harness the full potential of what our continent has to offer.”

Takaruza Munyanyiwa, Zimbabwe’s head of delegation and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, echoed this sentiment.

“Visa-free travel is essential for promoting tourism in Africa. It’s time for us to open our borders and welcome the world to our continent.”

The forum highlighted the importance of a unified approach to driving Africa’s tourism growth.

Emily Mburu Ndoria, Director of Trade in Services at AfCFTA, said, “The AfCFTA Agreement’s role in economic integration and its impact on tourism cannot be overlooked. Visa-free travel is a critical component of this agreement, and we must work together to make it a reality.”

Participants agreed that expanding visa-free access and improving air travel connectivity are critical steps towards achieving this goal.

Currently, only four African countries offer visa-free access to all Africans, and expanding this approach is seen as vital to unlocking Africa’s full tourism potential and driving significant economic growth and integration.

The Africa Tourism Leadership Forum will continue from September 3 to 6 in Botswana, focusing on opportunities for driving Africa’s future growth through intra-African travel, tourism, and hospitality innovation, education, and investments.

BY BAYANDA NKATHA

Stakeholders in the tourism industry and beyond are joining forces to prevent the spread of Mpox in Victoria Falls.

Despite no reported cases in Zimbabwe, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) have declared Mpox a public health emergency.

A meeting is underway to develop a coordinated approach to prevention, bringing together the Victoria Falls City Council health department, Ministry of Health and Child Care, government departments, tourism industry players, and civic society.

The move comes after the 44th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government in Harare called for a coordinated regional response to the outbreak.

Mpox, a viral infectious disease, can spread quickly through physical contact.

Stakeholders in Victoria Falls are taking proactive steps to protect their community and visitors.

By working together, they aim to prevent the spread of Mpox and ensure the safety of all.

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Today, on World Painted Dog Day, conservationists are sounding the alarm: less than 7 000 painted dogs remain in the wild, threatened by poaching, habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and disease.

“Their numbers are dwindling; without urgent action, they may vanish forever,” warns Painted Dog Conservation (PDC).

But there is hope. PDC is committed to creating an environment where Painted Dogs can thrive, through a conservation model built on research, direct protection, education, local community involvement, and international support.

“You can help,” says PDC. “Spread awareness, donate to support our programs, and visit our website to learn more.”

Every action counts.

As PDC notes, “Extinction is forever. Act now to help save Painted Dogs.” Let’s stand together to ensure these wild beauties continue to roam free.