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BRICS Countries Can Spur Travel to Africa, South Africa's Tourism Minister Says

© AP Photo / Wu HongStaff worker stands behind national flags of Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa and India to tidy the flags ahead of a group photo during the BRICS Summit at the Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center in Xiamen, southeastern China's Fujian Province, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017.
Staff worker stands behind national flags of Brazil, Russia, China, South Africa and India to tidy the flags ahead of a group photo during the BRICS Summit at the Xiamen International Conference and Exhibition Center in Xiamen, southeastern China's Fujian Province, Monday, Sept. 4, 2017. - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 10.05.2023
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Earlier this month, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the organization does not consider COVID-19 a pandemic anymore.
The African continent and South Africa in particular are awaiting a rise in travelers from the BRICS member-states, as the Covid-19 restrictions have been put away, the country's Tourism Minister Patricia De Lille has stated.
De Lille expressed the opinion while addressing African ministers and other tourism leaders at the African Dialogue on Tourism, an event on the sidelines of African Travel Indaba, a trade display, which started on Monday and is taking place in Durban, South Africa.
"And while these visitors are from traditional markets like the UK, Europe and the USA, important markets like the resumption of travel from China are a critical focus. Countries like China, India and Brazil have a massive emerging middle class ready to explore South Africa and the continent. Growing tourism is one of the focus areas for BRICS," the minister stated.
The official noted that Brazil demonstrated the highest tourist volume growth in the first three months of 2023, more than any other country in Central and South America. De Lille has welcomed the resumption of direct flights between Johannesburg and San Paulo.
South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks during the Leaders Dialogue with BRICS Business Council and the New Development Bank, at the Itamaraty Palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019.  - Sputnik Africa, 1920, 27.04.2023
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Moreover, the minister emphasized that BRICS is growing and has the potential to increase trade with African countries.
"The BRICS countries constitute the largest trading partners of Africa and the most significant new investors. This year, the BRICS countries overtook the G7 countries as the most significant combined economy. Together BRICS contribute nearly 31.5 percent of the global gross domestic product. Let us rethink and sharpen our focus for a better Africa that attracts visitors to the continent and create sustainable industries, infrastructure and employment for our citizens," De Lille said.
Earlier this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) issued its World Economic Outlook, according to which BRICS members surpassed G7 countries in terms of their overall contribution to global economic growth since 2020.
De Lille reminded the event's participants that South Africa will host the forthcoming BRICS summit, which is going to take place in Durban in late August. She stressed that South Africa's participation in BRICS is aimed at developing Africa and creating a better world.
BRICS is an informal grouping of the world's developing economies. The four founding BRICS members– Brazil, Russia, India, and China – originally established the bloc in 2006 (at the time it was known as BRIC). After South Africa joined the group in 2010, its name was changed to BRICS.
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