The Tourism EXPO Japan is an annual event, equivalent to Africa’s Travel Indaba, and this year featured the first Ministerial Roundtable on Sustainable Tourism, hosted on 21 September 2017 in Tokyo.
The Minister of Tourism, Tokozile Xasa, is attending the Tourism Expo in Japan from 21 to 24 September 2017, at the invitation of the Japanese Association of Travel Agents, in collaboration with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
The roundtable was attended by almost 14 tourism ministers, top executives from the tourism fraternity, members of the UNWTO executive, World Travel and Tourism Council Pacific Asia Travel Association and was aimed at reflecting on 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development as designated by the UN.
Minister Xasa is expected to be one of the speakers during panel discussions, which will focus on inclusive and sustainable economic growth; social inclusiveness, employment and poverty reduction; resource efficiency, environmental protection and climate change; cultural values, diversity and heritage; mutual understanding; as well as peace and security.
The Tourism Expo in Japan takes place in the month of September, observed as Tourism Month, when the Department of Tourism encourages South Africans to travel and explore their own country. Activities lined up during this month build up to the celebration of the UNWTO World Tourism Day on 27 September 2017, which will this year be hosted by Mpumalanga province.