The Ministry of Tourism will lay emphasis on promoting Cameroon’s image abroad as an attractive tourist destination after attaining the target of 500,000 tourists a year in 2010. Promotion teams will be deployed to European capitals such as Madrid, Berlin, Zurich, and London throughout 2011 to capture the attention of more tourists.

The disclosure was made by the Minister of Tourism, Baba Hamadou while receiving New Year wishes from staff of central and external services of his Ministry last Monday, February 7, in Yaounde. “There will be more than 100 million tourists in the world in 2011,” he announced, stressing that Cameroon must attract as many as possible. To that effect, a Memorandum of Understanding will soon be signed with China to facilitate the travelling of groups of Chinese tourists to Cameroon. Partnership agreements have also been signed with several international tour operators and media with the same goal. Other priority areas in 2011 will include training of staff and stakeholders as well as the development of more tourist sites. Baba Hamadou used the opportunity to congratulate the personnel and all stakeholders of the tourism sector for enabling Cameroon attain the status of a tourist destination.

Speaking earlier, the Secretary General of the Ministry, Florence Angeline Ngomo gave a balance sheet of activities undertaken in 2010. “Our efforts were focused on training, streamlining the hotel sector, promoting tourism, developing tourist sites and implementing good governance,” she held. While thanking the Minister for improving on the working conditions of personnel, she expressed the latter’s wish that other issues related to workers’ status be implemented. On that note, she presented New Year Wishes of peace, health and lucidity as well as several gifts to the Minister. The ceremony was punctuated by decoration of meritorious staff and cultural displays.