Luanda – As countries dependent on natural resources look for more sustainable sources of growth, Angola is betting on tourism as one of the sectors capable of diversifying the economy, creating jobs and attracting foreign investment. This trend comes as part of government efforts to transform unexploited natural and cultural components into economic assets that generate long-term returns.
In an interview with Al Jazeera Net, Julia Kleber, CEO of the Kleber International Group, reviews the features of this strategy, the challenges facing building a tourism industry from a limited starting point, and Angola’s opportunities to consolidate its position on the map of tourism and investment in Africa.
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Here is the text of the interview:
- First, what is the nature of the role played by your group in formulating tourism strategies, especially in emerging markets and the African continent?
We are an international company specialized in engineering and developing the tourism sector. We focus on building tourism identities for countries, developing media and marketing tools, enhancing investor relations, and building local competencies. Our focus is on developing countries and major hotel groups, with the aim of developing an integrated tourism system.
As for Africa, we have experience spanning more than 20 years. We contributed to developing the tourism identity of countries such as South Africa, Namibia, Uganda and Zambia. We also launched a special initiative called “Voice for Africa” with the aim of reshaping the mental image of the continent and presenting it to the world in a positive way that highlights its true capabilities.
Identity industry
- Based on this long experience, how did the features of cooperation with the Angolan government begin? How was the competitive advantage of a country whose economy depends on oil determined?
Our journey began about a year and a half ago, in response to an invitation from the Angolan Minister of Tourism, Marcio de Jesus Lopez Daniel, to discuss ways to revitalize and develop this sector, and to benefit from our record in building the national identities of countries. The first and most important step was to find Angola’s “unique competitive advantage”, defining its own mark.
Hence, the national tourism brand “Visit Angola: The Rhythm of Life” was born, a slogan that translates the cultural and human depth of the country. This was followed by launching intensive marketing and media campaigns in international markets, in addition to organizing introductory trips for press delegations and agents of international tourism companies to explore the capabilities on the ground.
The work was not limited to external promotion, but included capacity building locally through workshops to train national cadres. We have also succeeded in developing the Angola Convention and Exhibition Bureau, and launched its new identity last month in Luanda under the slogan “Angola: Africa’s Business Forum”, thus enhancing business tourism and conferences.
- It is clear that you faced a major challenge in establishing a tourism sector that is almost absent. How can a tourism industry be built from scratch?
Yes, it was a real challenge as we started almost from scratch. We developed a 10-year strategic plan to translate the government vision into practical steps, and attract tourists and investors at the same time.
The biggest challenge in markets that were not open to tourism before lies in the precise balance between the paths of “demand” and “supply.” The foreign investor will not pump his money into hotels and infrastructure, such as roads and ports, without ensuring a tourist flow, and the tourist will not come without ready services and hotels. Therefore, we dealt with these two paths in parallel, at a simultaneous and deliberate pace.
Development returns
- Many countries view tourism as a recreational activity, but at its core it is an intertwined economic system. How does this sector contribute to achieving sustainable development in Angola compared to rentier sectors such as oil?
Tourism is an engine capable of bringing about structural transformation in the country and opening its economic and social fabric to the world. The fundamental difference between them and the extractive sectors, such as oil, gas and natural resources, is that the revenues from these sectors are often concentrated or directed abroad, while tourism pumps money directly into the arteries of the local community and creates many field job opportunities.
Angola has a large young demographic, and the tourism sector represents an important opportunity to accommodate young people and women alike. Tourism revenues also contribute directly to supporting the middle and low-income classes, and to circulating capital locally. When a tourist goes to a café or buys a local product, the benefit accrues to the ordinary citizen, which contributes to improving the quality of life and consolidating a positive and sustainable mental image of the country.
Competitive advantages
- What makes Angola an attractive and distinctive destination compared to its neighbors in the regional scope of southern Africa?
The main advantage lies in the availability of a clear political will and a specific vision at the Ministry of Tourism and the government, something that may not be available in other countries that do not view tourism as a fundamental pillar of state building. There is a real commitment and allocation of resources necessary to make this approach a success.
From a geographical and security standpoint, Angola is a safe and open country with good connectivity. The problem was not a negative mental image of the country abroad, but rather the almost absence of this image, which gives us flexible space to shape it. Angola’s vast geography also provides remarkable diversity. From charming beaches and sun, to nature reserves and safaris, to the hustle and bustle of urban life.
The rich culture and hospitable spirit of the residents remain the core of our motto “Rhythm of Life”.
- In light of the intense competition in the global tourism market, what message do you send to international tourists for choosing Angola over others?
Angola is the most prominent “hidden gem” on the African continent today; It offers a pristine and authentic tourist experience untouched by the consumerist commercial tourism industrialization. Everything here is still close to its spontaneous and pure nature.
The contemporary traveler is eagerly searching for real destinations that the crowds have not yet discovered, and for sincere human contact with peoples who welcome the visitor and interact with him spontaneously. In Angola, tourists find distinctive seafood and a unique cultural mix influenced by Portuguese culture, where art, music and sincere welcome combine in an experience that opens doors and hearts for visitors. In short, Angola is an unforgettable human and geographical experience.
