International soccer star Didier Drogba has helped his birthplace, Côte d’Ivoire, strike gold by helping to collect MOUs for a total of $15 billion in commitments to back tourism projects in the West African country. The breakthrough comes the influential Forum de l’Investissement Hotelier Africain (FIHA), which takes place in Abidjan next month. FIHA is known for its ability to link up the new investors with developers, consultants, contractors, hoteliers and political leaders. The former Chelsea striker – and now UN world tourism ambassador – was part of a successful global push to promote the rising success and attractiveness of Côte d’Ivoire’s tourist economy. The country boasts a GDP growth rate of about 8% in 2019 and, as a destination, it’s in third place in Sub-Saharan Africa, with 2 million international visitors, behind South Africa and Zimbabwe, ahead of Uganda, Botswana, Kenya or Mauritius (according to UNWTO 2018 data).
SOURCE: PML DAILY
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