Promoting Africa´s tourism potential and facilitating areas such as financing, investment, and technology and know-how transfer are at the center of the fifth edition of the Tourism Investment and Business Forum for Africa (Investour) to be held on January 23, 2014.

This yearly tourism business and knowledge exchange platform held during the International Tourism Fair of Madrid (FITUR), enables meetings between representatives of African tourism and potential investors. A joint initiative of UNWTO, FITUR and Casa Africa (representing the Spanish Government), Investour has consolidated its position as the tourism meeting point for Africa and Spain. The upcoming edition will also open its doors, for the first time, to the participation of Portuguese companies.

Investour 2014 will open with a morning session addressing investment in hotel infrastructure, air connectivity and visa facilitation as key factors for Africa´s tourism development.

The afternoon will be devoted to traditional Investour Business to Business (B2B) meetings, following a set agenda of appointments.

Investour in figures (2010-2013):

• More than 550 African projects from 45 different countries

• Around 180 Spanish companies and 831 participants

• 15 Ministers of Tourism of Africa in each edition

• Participation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA), the Economic Community of Central African States (CEMAC) and the East African Community (EAC)