Tourism

Having benefitted from the surge in arrivals and a massive profile boost from last year’s World Cup, South Africa’s tourism industry is now facing a slightly more challenging environment. However, a shift in policy and more targeted promotions aimed at domestic travellers may soon get the industry moving again.

Jordan’s recently unveiled five-year national tourism strategy foresees the private sector playing a growing role in the sector, with the eventual goal of doubling the industry’s contribution to GDP.

Abu Dhabi has surpassed 1m hotel guests for the first half of the year and seems likely to achieve its tourism aims for 2011, although increased competition could eat into margins in the longer term.

Tourism officials in Sharjah have adopted a hard-sell approach to promoting the emirate’s credentials as a travel destination, racking up frequent flyer points of their own as they criss-cross the globe to take part in tourism fairs and trade events. The success of this campaign will depend to some degree on the health of the economies of the countries targeted by the emirate’s promotional push.

Manila is looking to launch a new strategic plan to maximise the country’s tourism potential, raising the sector’s profile internationally while boosting employment and investments in key infrastructure and facilities to improve service provision. However, even if the plan is successfully implemented, the Philippines will still have a long way to claim a greater share of regional hospitality sector.

Le secteur touristique marocain a enregistré une forte croissance en 2010, et l’année 2011 s’annonce également exceptionnelle au vu des chiffres des premiers mois. La confiance reste élevée malgré l’instabilité régionale actuelle et l’acte terroriste commis au mois d’avril dans un café de Marrakech, dont les conséquences sont limitées. Ainsi, le gouvernement poursuit la mise en œuvre de ses plans ambitieux pour la décennie à venir.