São Tomé, 30 October 2025 (ECA) — São Tomé and Príncipe has reached a decisive milestone in the governance and transformation of its tourism sector.
Under the leadership of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its Subregional Office for Central Africa, in partnership with the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office and the Ministry of Environment, Youth and Sustainable Tourism, the country convened a High-Level Policy Dialogue dedicated to promoting sustainable, competitive, and evidence-based tourism development.
Presided over by H.E. Nilda Borges da Mata, Minister of Environment, Youth and Sustainable Tourism, the event brought together representatives of government institutions, the private sector, academia, and development partners in a spirit of collaboration and shared vision.
The dialogue resulted in a national consensus on the key priority actions needed to strengthen tourism competitiveness, enhance governance, and consolidate the sector’s contribution to São Tomé and Príncipe’s economic transformation.
Stakeholders agreed to: promote multisectoral governance of tourism integrating sustainability, employment, and investment dimensions, establish a Tourism Statistics Steering Committee to improve institutional coordination and data management, mobilize resources to regularly update the Tourism Satellite Accounts (TSA) and strengthen national capacities, institutionalize the TSA within the national statistical system and ensure regular publication of updated editions to measure the sector’s contribution to GDP and employment.
Tourism: a strategic engine for growth and inclusion
The country’s first Tourism Satellite Accounts, presented during the dialogue, revealed that tourism contributes nearly 11% of GDP and 10% of total value added, confirming its pivotal role in the national economy. They also showed that 96% of tourism consumption comes from international visitors, underscoring the country’s strong attractiveness while highlighting the need to boost domestic tourism and strengthen local value chains in agriculture, fisheries, crafts, and services.
In his statement, Jean Luc Mastaki, Director of ECA’s Subregional Office for Central Africa, commended the Government’s leadership and noted that “this dialogue marks the shift from data to action.”
“The challenge is not only to measure performance,” he said, “but to transform data into levers for investment, employment, and sustainability. São Tomé and Príncipe is demonstrating that a vibrant, sustainable, and inclusive tourism sector can become a pillar of economic sovereignty and structural transformation.”
He further emphasized that the Tourism Satellite Accounts, aligned with international standards of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the ECA, provide a credible framework for attracting investment, guiding infrastructure planning, and designing evidence-based public policies.
A collective commitment to sustainable tourism governance
In her address, H.E. Nilda Borges da Mata reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to making tourism “a driver of inclusive growth, youth employment, and the promotion of São Tomé and Príncipe’s natural and cultural heritage.”
ECA and the United Nations System, reiterated their continued support for implementing the dialogue’s recommendations through technical assistance missions, capacity-building activities, and international advocacy for sustainable financing of the sector.
At the conclusion of the meeting, participants declared in unison: “Tourism is a strategic lever for the economic and social transformation of São Tomé and Príncipe. This dialogue marks a major step toward coherent governance based on reliable data and sustainable partnerships.”
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