Interview: Osman Abdi Mohamed
To what extent does the tourism sector contribute to economic diversification, and how will human resources evolve to support growth?
OSMAN ADBI MOHAMED: Tourism is a nascent sector with high growth potential. Increasing its contribution to GDP above its present 2.5% would create jobs, contributing to growth and enhancing Djibouti’s global competitiveness. Given the sector’s potential, the government is taking steps to mobilise investment as outlined in the sustainable tourism blueprint of Djibouti Vision 2035.
The availability and quality of labour have improved in recent years, underscoring the importance of training facilities such as the Arta Hotel Industry and Tourism Trades Training Centre. Between 2019 and 2021 the Ministry of Trade and Tourism administered training programmes to enable young people and professionals to acquire skills to enhance the tourism and hospitality value chain. More recently, workshops have been offered to tourism operators and young people to develop their tech skills to keep pace with the rapid digitalisation of the sector. Nonetheless, investment in capacity building remains insufficient. Accordingly, a training programme will soon be launched to equip 500 young people with the skills required for the tourism sector, while addressing future labour market needs.
How do you assess the growth of ecotourism?
MOHAMED: Despite the economic potential of sustainable tourism, investment in the ecotourism segment is limited. The government has implemented various initiatives to address this. These include enhanced support for marine-protected areas and the enactment of ecotourism decrees that protect local endangered species, such as a decree to protect whale sharks – a flagship attraction of the sustainable tourism segment.
To maximise the potential of ecotourism, private actors are encouraged to undertake protective measures to reduce environmental impacts arising from the execution of tourism projects, especially those situated beyond Djibouti City. Developing tourism infrastructure beyond the urban centre in a sustainable manner is critical because the majority of popular tourism destinations are found in the interior regions.
Accordingly, the government has placed tourism at the heart of regional development plans, adopting a model of cultural and environmental tourism for the development of the sector. This model entails strict compliance with the principles of protection and preservation of the natural integrity and cultural significance of remote destinations.
What measures are needed to boost the development of leisure and business tourism?
MOHAMED: The government has set a target of attracting up to 500,000 tourists annually and increase the share of leisure tourism to 88% by 2030. To achieve this, the government has implemented reforms such as the introduction of e-visas and expanding the national road network from 700 km to 2900 km between 2010 and early 2023. Other measures include an extension to the existing airport and the construction of the new Ahmed Dini Ahmed International Airport.
Business tourism is growing steadily on the back of investment in new international hotels boasting a wide range of facilities for conferences, trade shows and meetings. With nearly 98% of visitors coming to conduct business and significant infrastructure improvement set to attract more business visitors, this segment is a key driver of growth in the sector.
Mobilising capital remains critical in order to catalyse the potential of both segments. In addition to public aid, private funding would help facilitate the development of infrastructure to position Djibouti as an international commercial destination. Public and private capital can flow from organisations such as the National Investment Promotion Agency, the State Secretariat for Investments and the Development of the Private Sector, as well as the Djibouti Sovereign Fund.
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