The Third Meeting of the IORA Core Group on Tourism (CGT) was held virtually on 19 October 2022 and was chaired by Mauritius. The meeting brought together representatives from IORA Member States, Dialogue Partners, and international organisations, reflecting ongoing regional engagement to advance tourism cooperation and post-pandemic recovery.
The meeting opened with remarks from the Chair and the IORA Secretariat, followed by a keynote address from the Director of the Regional Department for Africa, UNWTO, on “The Impact of COVID-19 on International Travel and Tourism: Road to Recovery.” The address highlighted the pandemic’s impact on Small Island Developing States, the critical role of women and informal workers in tourism, and the importance of sustainability, climate action, and digitalisation in the recovery of the sector.
Participants adopted the agenda and reviewed progress in implementing tourism activities under the CGT Work Plan (2022–2027). Updates were provided by Member States, including France/Reunion, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, South Africa, Malaysia, and Mauritius. Other notable updates included India’s cruise tourism initiatives, France/Reunion on the establishment of an IORA Tourism Resource Centre and Website South Africa’s research on coastal and marine tourism, Malaysia’s awareness activities on coastal protection, and Mauritius’ plans for a Special Fund-supported workshop on nature-based tourism.
The meeting also discussed cooperation with Dialogue Partners, with Italy, Korea, and Russia providing updates on capacity-building initiatives, cruise terminal training, and sustainable tourism development. Participants noted the availability of the IORA Special Fund to support activities aligned with the Work Plan.
The meeting concluded with agreement on next steps, including the preparation of the Fourth CGT meeting in May 2023, back-to-back with a workshop on boosting livelihoods through nature-based tourism. The Chair and the IORA Secretariat delivered closing remarks, reaffirming IORA’s commitment to inclusive, sustainable, and coordinated tourism development across the Indian Ocean Region.
