Tourism Inter Africa

The youth unemployment rate in Africa has been evolving up and down in recent years with a declining trend in sub-Saharan Africa and the highest ever in North Africa, according to the ILO’s Global Employment Trends for Youth 2015. The new report outlines priorities to address youth employment challenge including levels of education in Africa that are comparatively low creating a considerable skills gap among youth at working age. In sub-Saharan Africa, three in five young workers (61.4 per cent) do not have the level of education expected to make them productive on the job, the report notes. Meanwhile tourism remains a key driver of South Africa’s national economy and contributes to job creation. The tourism industry is a major contributor to the South African economy and employment of citizens. The sector contributes about 9% to the country’s gross domestic product. So now we ask can the sector be the answer to Africa’s unemployment challenge.

To help us unpack and discuss this further we are joined on the line by:

1. Ms Thokozile Xasa Minister Department of Tourism (Joining us from the U.S.A)

2. Unathi Sonwabile Henama Lecturer: Department of Tourism Management Tshwane University of Technology

3. Thiofhi Ravele Business Development Manager Fair Trade in Tourism