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| L-R: PRGN president, Natacha Clarac, and the CEO, Newmark Group and co-chair of PRGN’s Global Expert Panel, Gilbert Manirakiza. |
The tourism industry in Africa has been a significant contributor to the continent’s economic stability, accounting for approximately 6% of its GDP and supporting 22 million jobs across the region.
The Global Expert Panel, comprised of prominent
communications and marketing experts and leaders from around the world, has
reaffirmed its dedication to propelling Africa’s tourism industry to
unprecedented heights and enhancing its prominence as a premier travel
destination.
Recently, the Public Relations Global Network (PRGN) announced the launch of the Global Expert
Panel on tourism and travel for Africa. The panel is led by the Newmark Group,
a strategic communications and advisory firm headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.
This groundbreaking initiative brings together top global
experts and practitioners in marketing and communications to offer destination
management and tourism organizations with extensive local insights and data
from source nations. It underscores the critical importance of understanding
cultural nuances to significantly enhance market presence and reshape the
narrative of African tourism on a global scale.
The tourism and travel Industry in Africa has demonstrated
remarkable growth since the beginning of the 21st century, as
evidenced by a report from the World Travel & Tourism Council. In the year
2022, this sector contributed approximately 6% to Africa’s Gross Domestic
Product (GDP), playing a pivotal role in ensuring economic stability and
supporting employment opportunities for 22 million individuals across the
continent.
In light of the current circumstances, the formation of PRGN’s
Global Expert Panel in collaboration with The Newmark Group is crucial for
harnessing Africa’s tourism potential for sustainable development and inclusive
growth. By addressing critical challenges and drawing upon the expertise of
global communication and marketing professionals, the panel seeks to elevate
Africa’s tourism industry to new heights and enhance its prominence as a
premier travel destination.
The President of the PRGN, Natacha Clarac, stated during the
formation of the Global Expert Panel for tourism that, “To elevate Africa’s
tourism sector, destination marketers must harness global capabilities and
adopt a holistic approach to branding and marketing. PRGN provides unparalleled
global resources and local expertise, delivering a unique insight to meet new
needs and thus capture market shares.”
Mr. Gilbert Manirakiza, the Chief Executive Officer of the
Newmark Group and co-chair of PRGN’s Global Expert Panel, asserted that, “Data
and analyses that our team has carried out indicate that many African
destinations significantly suffer from negative perceptions among target
audiences abroad, mainly due to historically negative headlines in global
media. We must equip destination marketers with the insights, tools, content,
and campaigns that not only capture the attention of potential travellers but
also credibly tell the vibrant and diverse stories of our attractions.”
As the Founder and Managing Director of Scandinavian
Communications in Denmark, as well as the Co-Chair of the Global Expert Panel
and Vice President for the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) region at
PRGN, Christina Rytter shared her insights, “Africa’s tourism and travel sector
is lively, but consumer trends, media consumption behaviour and travellers’
demographics are constantly shifting in source markets”
“This is the reason why we set out to bring together top
experts who can design and help implement strategies that will position
Africa’s destinations as preferred, relatable, and trusted attractions. This
will help promote sustainable growth and enhance the cultural and economic
fabric of local communities,” Rytter added.
The Global Expert Panel for Tourism and Travel in Africa is
dedicated to a long-term collaboration with the objective of fostering positive
transformation and enhancing this industry. The esteemed members of the Global
Expert Panel comprise:
Founder, Scandinavian Communications (Copenhagen, Denmark,
Christina Rytter; CEO, The Newmark Group, Nairobi, Kenya, Gilbert Manirakiza;
CEO, Southard Communications, New York, USA, Bill Southard; managing director,
China Advocate, Beijing, China, Shawn Jiang Xiaofeng; CEO, Alkemi Collective,
Cape Town, South Africa, Bradly Howland.
Others are founder and chairman, Spider, London, United
Kingdom, Sara Pearson; managing partner at Industrie-Contact AG, Hamburg,
Germany, Uwe Schmidt; vice president, We Change, Paris, France, Stephane
Billiet; founder, RumboCierto Comunicaciones, Santiago, Chile, Valentina
Giacaman Hazboun; founder & partner, Identia PR, Buenos Aires, Argentina,
Dominique Biquard; CEO & founder, Eje Comunicación, Mexico City, Mexico,
Loreley Maldonado; partner, Currie, Melbourne, Australia Susan McNair and Newmark
country lead, Nigeria, Lovelyn Okafor.
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