Tunis: Africa's share in world tourism is less than 5%, putting the continent at the rear of the field, said former tourism minister and Tunisia's candidate for the post of Secretary General of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Habib Ammar.

According to Agence Tunis Afrique Presse, the global tourism activity is not evenly distributed insofar as the European continent alone accounts for an estimated 54%, followed by Asia (17%) and the Americas (15%). Meanwhile, the tourism industry in the Middle East accounts for 7% to 8%, he added in an interview with TAP Studio.

The slow growth of the tourism sector in Africa, despite the importance of the sector's resources and the wealth of its historical, cultural, and social heritage, is mainly due to the lack of infrastructure and human resources in this sector, in addition to the security situation in some regions, he indicated.

As for his candidacy for the post of UNWTO Secretary General, Ammar revealed an ambitious plan to boost investment in Africa which, he said, is based on the preparation of a feasibility study and a diagnosis of the current situation of the sector on the continent as well as prospects for its development.

The development of tourism in Africa should be a priority for the UNWTO Secretary General, he pointed out, voicing hope to see Africa take up this job for the first time in the organisation's history.