Globalni turistički forum čuje o potrebi za vidljivošću u novom normalu

1. The African Tourism Board president, Alain St. Angle emphasized at the Global Tourism Forum in Jakarta, that tourism needs political support as that remains key for the industry’s success.
2. He said the Indonesian Government has many tourism potentials and the country must use everything at its disposal to increase visibility.
3. St. Ange pointed out that in the new post COVID normal, it is important to appreciate that every tourism destination would be fishing from the same lake.

---

Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles former Tourism, Civil Aviation, Ports & Marine Minister and now President of the Afrička turistička zajednica (ATB) and a founding member of the World Travel Network (WTN), yesterday addressed the Global Tourism Forum that was being held in Jakarta in Indonesia.

The St.Ange address, as part of a discussion panel, was much awaited in Africa as he was known to have been championing the increasing of trade and tourism ties between Africa and the ASEAN Block. Alain St.Ange, a Tourism Consultant who was based in Indonesia for a while, has been working through FORSEAA (Forum of Small Medium Economic AFRICA ASEAN) to push trade and tourism to Africa from the ASEAN Countries.

St.Ange, a board member also for the recently launched World Tourism Network is working to increase the visibility of tourism destinations and to give a long-overdue voice to small- and medium-size travel and tourism businesses right around the world which was not surprising to hear of the interest from the continent about his address.

St.Ange started by emphasizing that tourism needs political support as that remains key for the industry’s success as he congratulated the Vice President and the Tourism Minister for both being present at this edition of the Svjetski turistički forum. He went on to push as he reminded the Indonesian Government of the many tourism potentials Indonesia has been blessed with, but he said “such potentials and investments in developing them would be wasted if Indonesia does not use everything at its disposal to increase the visibility of the country.”

Alain St.Ange also pointed out that in the new normal and as post-COVID is being discussed, it was important to appreciate that every tourism destination would be fishing from the same lake for their discerning visitors and that the most innovative and prepared destination would be better placed to embrace post-COVID trade.

St.Angespoke about niche markets from the traditional one to agro-tourism, religious tourism, sports tourism, halal tourism, etc., saying that every stone must be turned in the search for new tourism markets.

He spent time elaborating on the need to set the course for the country and to then deliver on a price matching service, bearing in mind that the country is the destination and that the country needed to be prepared before someone from the panel reinforced that “walk the talk” was now more important than ever.

The former Minister pointed out the importance of joining forces with neighbors and friends and cited Africa and the African Tourism Board as the example of a continent needing its tourism industry and going all out to make it work.

The Global Tourism Forum 2021 saw the Vice Presidents of Indonesia and former Prime Minister of the UK as well as Dr. Taleb Rifai, the former Secretary-General of the UNWTO, and the current and former Tourism Minister of Indonesia all listed alongside the President of the Global Tourism Forum.