CategoriesUncategorized By Sierra Leone National Tourist Board

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!

Join SLEDP in celebrating Fatmata Mida Carew, Managing Director of the National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone, whose visionary leadership is helping transform tourism into a driver of economic diversification and global visibility for Sierra Leone.
Discover her inspiring story and see how institutional reform and bold leadership are shaping the future of Sierra Leone’s tourism sector. Read more:

Fatmata Mida Carew: The Institutional Reformer Powering Sierra Leone’s Tourism Renaissance

CategoriesNews Tourism Uncategorized By Sierra Leone National Tourist Board

Sierra Leone Secures Seat on World Committee on Tourism Ethics

UNWTO

Abuja, Nigeria— In a significant stride towards promoting responsible tourism and ethical standards in the global tourism industry, Sierra Leone has been elected to serve on the esteemed World Committee on Tourism Ethics (WCTE). This appointment marks a historic milestone for the West African nation, highlighting its commitment to sustainable tourism development and ethical practices.

 

Established in 2003, the World Committee on Tourism Ethics is an independent subsidiary body of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), dedicated to upholding and promoting the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. Comprising nine members and three alternates, the committee is responsible for the dissemination, evaluation, and monitoring of ethical principles that guide responsible tourism worldwide.

UNWTO

The WCTE operates under the authority of the UNWTO General Assembly, which appoints members in their personal capacities—meaning these individuals serve not as representatives of their governments but as independent experts committed to advancing ethical standards in tourism. Members serve a four-year term, during which they work to ensure that tourism development aligns with principles of sustainability, respect for local cultures, and social responsibility.

 

The election of Sierra Leone to the WCTE underscores the country’s dedication to fostering responsible tourism practices. As a country rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage, Sierra Leone has been actively working to position itself as a sustainable travel destination. This new role offers an opportunity for Sierra Leone to contribute to shaping global tourism ethics and to promote responsible tourism initiatives within its borders.

UNWTO

Sierra Leone’s inclusion in the WCTE is expected to bolster its efforts in implementing ethical tourism practices, such as community engagement, environmental conservation, and cultural preservation. Moreover, it provides a platform for Sierra Leone to share its experiences and challenges, fostering international collaboration and knowledge exchange.

 

Globally, Sierra Leone’s participation enriches the diversity of perspectives within the committee, emphasizing the importance of inclusive and culturally sensitive tourism development. It also aligns with the broader objectives of the UNWTO to promote sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

 

As Sierra Leone prepares to serve on the WCTE, stakeholders across the country are optimistic about leveraging this opportunity to advance responsible tourism policies. The country’s engagement will not only benefit its local communities but also contribute to the global community’s understanding of ethical tourism practices.

 

This achievement reflects Sierra Leone’s dedication to responsible development and positions it as a proactive player in shaping the future of ethical tourism worldwide. It exemplifies how nations can come together under the umbrella of international organizations to promote shared values and sustainable growth.

 

Sierra Leone’s election to the World Committee on Tourism Ethics signifies a positive step toward fostering a more responsible, inclusive, and sustainable global tourism industry. As the country embarks on this new chapter, it sets an inspiring example for other nations committed to ethical tourism principles and sustainable development.

CategoriesUncategorized By Sierra Leone National Tourist Board

As UN Tourism Secretary-General Commits to Support its Tourism Drive, Sierra Leone Delegation Wraps Fitur on a High

In what has been a successful participation at this years Fitur International Trade Fair, destination Sierra Leone made remarkable inroads and partnerships during the global showpiece event in Madrid. In an official visit by Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Mrs. Nabeela Farida Tunis and team to UN Tourism Headquarters in Madrid, the Secretary-General, Zurab Pololikashvili commended the sector’s strides and reaffirmed UN Tourism commitments to supporting Sierra Leone’s Tourism drive.

During the meeting, Mrs. Tunis thanked Zurab Pololikashvili for meeting with them while looking forward to forging a greater partnership with UN Tourism. She talked about the huge potential of tourism and how it can be harnessed to enhance the growth of the sector.

On his part Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Zurab Pololikashvili commended Mrs. Tunis and team for their participation at Fitur. He recognized the efforts of Sierra Leone in revamping tourism and reaffirmed UN commitments on unlocking Sierra Leone tourism potential in investment, innovation, gender equality and domestic tourism. UN Tourism Director of Regional Department for Africa, Elcia Grandcourt Programme Officer, Regional Department of Africa, Lydia Bebekum, Director of Tourism, Mohamed Jalloh, the General Manager, NTB, Fatmata Hamid, Assistant Director of Culture, Ishmael A. Kamara and the Administrative Manager, MRC, Ann-Marie Kamara were all part of the discussions.

On other front, the Directorate of Tourism and the National Tourist Board held productive discussions with the Zambia Tourism Board on the establishment of operative tour companies in Sierra Leone. Similar engagements were also held with travel agencies during the course of the deliberations at the trade fair.

Mrs. Tunis appreciated the delegation, (staff of the Ministry, NTB, MRC) and private sector players (Tourism is Life, Best Travel Solutions, Kallon Travels) for the level of participation and collaboration during the trade fair. She encouraged all to continue in the spirit of nationalism in pushing the sector forward for the general good of Sierra Leone.

MTCA Communications

CategoriesNews Uncategorized By Sierra Leone National Tourist Board

           EIF supports Tourism for the Reconstruction/Rehabilitation of the 24 Bedroom Hotel and 6 Classrooms of HTTC

EIF supports Tourism for the Reconstruction/Rehabilitation of the 24 Bedroom Hotel and 6 Classrooms of HTTC

14th May, 2021

Kai B. Saquee

Marketing and Publicity &

MTCA Communication

Aim of the EIF in Sierra Leone

The EIF creates genuine partnerships among Least Developed Countries, donors, partner agencies, the EIF Executive Secretariat, the EIF Trust Fund Manager and other development partners who are supporting LDCs’ own drive to:

Mainstream trade into national development strategies

Set up structures needed to coordinate the delivery of trade-related technical assistance

Build capacity to trade, which also includes addressing critical supply side constraints.

This brings the light ever wanted since the inception of the projects. But today  The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the National Tourist Board (NTB) with support EIF  for the Sustainable Tourism Development and Promotion Project (STDPP) financed by the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Tier II have in august gathering  at the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology (MMCET) Brookfields Campus  turned the sod for the long awaited  reconstruction/rehabilitation of the 24 bedroom hotel, kitchen, prep/service room and 6 classrooms of the Hotel and Tourism Training Centre (HTTC), Brookfields campus now accredited to the Milton Margai College of Education Science and Technology, Faculty of Tourism and Nutritional Sciences.

Commencing the ceremony and stating the Purpose of the gathering, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Mr. Andrew L. Sorie said that the Ministry and NTB have taken the queue from President Bio in enhancing human capital for national growth. Reiterating that for the tourism and hospitality sector to grow and position Sierra Leone, it must be catered for and treated with the protocols and standard quality it deserves, with the reconstruction/rehabilitation of the facilities of HTTC, this place the destination in a better form to market and lull regional tourism schools to reach us for capacity building.

National Tourist Board, Fatmata Kroma the first female general manager narrating the holistic overview of the project, the General Manager said that the implementation of the STDPP financed by the EIF Trust Fund started on the 20th May, 2012 after the execution and signing of the MOU between the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and the Government of Sierra Leone. She stated that the total fund committed was USD2,990,000 for a period of three years to undertake development initiatives proposed by NTB that covers sector governance, product development, marketing and capacity building within the tourism sector.

The GM  noted that the project was forestalled and at the risk of loosing the funding opportunity, but with the appointments of the Tourism Minister and the Minister of Trade, they pioneered the conversation with the EIF Donor Partners for the recommencement of the project, adding that in consideration of the prudent fiscal financial management policies of the government as well as the leadership exhibited by the Minister of Tourism, Dr. Pratt, approval was given to recommence the STDPP-EIF Tier 2 on the proviso that the project should be repackaged and aligned with the National Mid-Term Development Agenda. She concluded that the project was repackaged and approved in February, 2020 at the tune of USD1.5Million.

The Principal, MMCET, Dr. Phillip Kanu said that for us to move as a nation, tourism must be at the forefront, hence the reconstruction/rehabilitation of the HTTC Brookfiels Campus. He applauded the Minister of Dr. Pratt and the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Professor Alpha T. Wurie for their roles in reviving MMCET.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Edward H. Sandy in his remarks said that one of the best ways to change the nation is to strengthen its human capacity in meeting the demands of the labor market, domestically and internationally. He continued that Sierra Leone has numerous potentials particularly in the tourism sector which is largely untapped.

In his statement, the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Professor Alpha T. Wurie gave a brief background of MMCET saying that Sierra Leone began to think futuristically many years ago. He expressed delight that the Ministry of Tourism is investing in its own property, the MMCET. He furthered that MMCET will be a Technical University with degree options in Tourism. He applauded the Principal of MMCET, Dr. Phillip Kanu for the leadership shown in restructuring MMCET.

The Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu Pratt in her keynote address maintained that despite the devastating effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Tourism and Hospitality sector, her Ministry has undertaken many reforms and infrastructural developments with the focus on positioning the industry to becoming a powerful catalyst for improving the socio-economic conditions of Sierra Leoneans.

She said that the success and competitiveness of our destination highly depends on the competence and quality of our human resource capacity that requires suitable expertise in order to provide the appropriate services for the Tourism and Hospitality industry, hence the turning of the sod for the construction of the training college as a clear signal of the expected increase in demand for a technical tertiary training college on hospitality management.

She pointed out that the drive to the transformation of the Tourism and Hospitality sector is based on five pillars; tapping into new markets, developing new products, promoting investments, building new partnerships and strengthening human capital. She noted that President Bio under his leadership prioritized Human Capital Development as his flagship program that aims at generating a critical sector of highly educated, trained and skilled citizens with the capacity to undertake research and development, pursue innovations and learning and start productive SMEs.

She stated that the repackaged STDPP prioritizes the HTTC with addressing several needs, saying that the HTTC needs substantial refurbishment and renovation of its facilities that include the 24 bedroom hotel, classrooms, kitchen and prep and serving rooms.

She concluded by applauding the government of President Bio and particularly the former Minister of Finance, Jacob J. Saffa for their roles in ensuring that the STDPP is launched.