Seychelles Hosts 69th UN Tourism Regional Commission for Africa
Seychelles has reaffirmed its leadership in African tourism by hosting the 69th UN Tourism Regional Commission for Africa. The high-level gathering brings together ministers, tourism leaders, and development partners to strengthen human capital, promote sustainable tourism, and shape a more resilient, inclusive, and competitive tourism sector across the African continent.
Seychelles has once again demonstrated its leadership in sustainable tourism by officially opening the 69th Meeting of the UN Tourism Regional Commission for Africa (CAF) at the Kempinski Seychelles Resort, Baie Lazare. The three-day gathering brings together tourism ministers, policymakers, international organizations, development partners, private sector leaders, and industry experts from across the continent to chart the future of African tourism.
The opening ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Patrick Herminie, who served as the Guest of Honor. He was joined by the Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Shaikha Al Nuwais, Seychelles’ Minister for Tourism and Culture, Amanda Bernstein, Minister for Education and Human Resource Development, David Pierre, Minister for Employment and Human Resource Planning, Idith Alexander, Speaker of the National Assembly Azarel Ernesta, senior government officials and delegates representing countries from across Africa.
Hosted by Seychelles’ Department of Tourism in partnership with UN Tourism, the regional commission meeting is taking place alongside the thematic conference “Strengthening Human Capital to Boost Africa’s Tourism Growth.” The event focuses on developing a skilled tourism workforce while advancing a more resilient, competitive, and sustainable tourism industry across Africa.
The event was officially opened by Minister Amanda Bernstein and UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais, while President Patrick Herminie delivered the keynote address, emphasizing that investing in people remains the cornerstone of Africa’s tourism success and long-term prosperity.
President Herminie Opens 69th UN Tourism CAF with Call to Put People First
Seychelles this morning stepped onto the continental stage, as President Dr Patrick Herminie officially opened the 69th Meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for Africa (CAF) and its accompanying Thematic …
Welcoming delegates to Seychelles, Minister Bernstein reaffirmed the country’s commitment to regional cooperation and highlighted the importance of evidence-based workforce planning.
“As Africa prepares for the International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism in 2027, we must ensure that human capital development occupies a central place within our tourism agendas. For Seychelles, one important lesson from our own experience is that workforce development must be guided by evidence. This is why we have established the LazioHRM workforce intelligence platform, which allows us to analyse workforce trends, identify skills gaps, support succession planning and make more informed policy decisions,” she said.
The opening session featured the presentation of the latest UN Tourism survey on tourism education and human capital development across Africa by UN Tourism Regional Director for Africa, Elcia Grandcourt. Seychelles also showcased its own achievements through a case study on the country’s Tourism Human Resources Development Strategy, presented by Principal Secretary for Tourism, Sherin Francis.
A high-level ministerial dialogue brought together tourism ministers, international tourism leaders and private sector representatives to explore ways of strengthening human capital development within national tourism policies, while promoting professional mobility and the mutual recognition of tourism qualifications across Africa.
Delegates also participated in a series of panel discussions examining stronger collaboration between academia and industry, aligning tourism education with changing market demands, expanding apprenticeship opportunities and equipping Africa’s tourism workforce with the skills needed for sustainability, digital transformation and emerging technologies.
The first day’s program concluded with a vibrant Seychellois cultural evening at Cap Lazare, where delegates experienced the country’s rich cultural heritage, renowned hospitality, and unique tourism offerings.
Hosting the 69th Meeting of the UN Tourism Regional Commission for Africa further reinforces Seychelles’ reputation as a proud island nation at the forefront of sustainable tourism development and international cooperation. By bringing together Africa’s tourism leaders, the event provides a valuable platform to deepen regional collaboration, strengthen human capital, and help shape a more resilient, inclusive, and prosperous future for tourism across the continent.
On the sidelines of the CAF meeting was the Seychelles Ambassador at Large, who himself was running for the UN-Tourism Secretary General position in 2017, and said he was honored to meet with Shaikha Al Nuwais, Secretary General of UN Tourism, at the 1st Day of Meetings for the 69th CAF Meeting being held in Seychelles.
