September 13, 2021
By Audrey John
The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and its agencies have continued the regional dialogue in commemoration of the United Nations World Tourism Day Celebration on the theme: “tourism inclusive growth in attaining the SDGs and agenda 2030 in post Covid-19 era” at Bo Inn Hotel, Bo, Southern Region.
This year’s commemoration of the UN World Tourism Day celebrations started with the launch of the celebration at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Freetown followed by high level regional dialogue in the Eastern, Southern and Northern Region, and the commemoration of the day itself which will be on the 27th September 2021 at New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown.
The Director of Tourism, Mohamed Jalloh intimated that the celebration of the UN World Tourism Day is in observance of the contribution of the tourism sector towards the growth and livelihood of people in term of improving the quality of lives and also towards the economic and development drive. He said since 2018 the Ministry together with its agencies have been celebrating the day, while recalling that last year’s celebration was marked by symposiums in collaboration with district councils and universities which he said were able to bring out issues bordering around the sector.
He noted that the 17 Sustainable Development Goals are very important to the development and improving the quality of lives of people for which he said the tourism sector can play a significant role in achieving all of those. He said the dialogue will help proffer suggestion and recommendation which will be put in a report to be shared with partners, MDA’s and Cabinet in order to carve programmes for implementation.
The Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu Pratt in her address expressed delight about the work of the Association in Tourism Southern Region for growing the industry. She stated that the changes that the tourism sector has brought all over the world in the last five years are so immense that it has been regarded as the third largest growth sector in the world in terms of revenue and job creation.
She re-echoed that the theme for this year’s celebration has to do with tourism for inclusive growth and the attainment of the 17 SDGs and agenda 2030 for sustainable development and that tourism is related to all the goals, hence the need to increase the level of awareness of the role of tourism and the hospitality industry in this year’s celebration. She furthered that the Ministry is now moving tourism to many other sectors and also how tourism can ensure that Sierra Leone attain the SDGs.
As part of the celebration of the UN World Tourism Day, the Minister and team paid an on the spot visit to hotels and similar establishments in Bo to ascertain the facilities, how they are coping during Covid-19 and how the Ministry can provide strategic support for them to thrive. The Minister was impressed that in such difficult circumstances, they were able to run the services of the hospitality sector. She reiterated the importance of taking the Covid-19 vaccine as it will help lure more tourists to Sierra Leone.
The first panel discussion looked at tourism wash facility and affordable clean energy, the second discussion was on tourism as a driver for economic growth, industrial development, innovation and reduction of inequality while the third discussion centres around tourism for peace, justice and cultural development in attaining agenda 2030.