Now in an effort to reverse this situation and make travel easier in this region, the CEMAC zone launched a joint plan to boost its tourism at a forum in Cameroon's capital of Yaoundé on May 9, 2011.

Integration

The integration of the six countries in Central Africa is becoming a reality. Political will in the region has led to the creation of the CEMAC Passport. Although in operation since 2009, the passport has been given renewed focus to allow easier regional travel access.

This passport is issued by each CEMAC member with the name of the country indicated on the passport. The aim of a community passport is to ease free movement of people and their assets. CEMAC is also planning its own regional airline to strengthen the integration.

Currently, the decision makers of the CEMAC countries are focusing on the tourism industry, which they believe could be important to the communal economy by attracting more income and foreign currency.

Work is now in progress to finalize the rules of a common tourist visa for all six countries. In other words, once a tourist is in possession of a visa for one of the countries they will automatically have free access to the other five.

Common vision

Leaders from across Central Africa who attended the forum in Yaoundé all share the same vision regarding tourism.

At the visa launch, Cameroonian Prime Minister Philémon Yunji Yang said that building a real tourism industry in the sub-region is vital.

Jules Ondzeki, Director General of the Tourism Industry of the Republic of the Congo, was upbeat about prospects, saying that while the tourist potential is still in its virgin state, the region needs to maximize its potential.

For his part, José Mba Obama, Secretary of State for Tourism of Equatorial Guinea, was equally optimistic. "Our tourism is taking off. The government began to open roads, build hotels and delineate the natural areas that are the sites that tourists seek to discover," he said.

Sylvie Annick Mazoungou, Minister of Rural Development, Tourism and Craft Industry, representing the CAR, said the famous parks, especially the world famous Mayanga Park, have great potential. She said that a regional database of the region's tourist attractions could offer tourists more choices. She believes the forum is on track to develop a strategy to promote the collective tourist attractions in the CEMAC.

Samuel Sidang Adji, Deputy Secretary General of the Department of Development of Tourism and Crafts of Chad, said his country has many tourist attractions, especially in north Chad. He said the enclaved zones of tourist attractions there could bring tourists to the area for up to six days.

Aware of the importance of the legion of Chinese tourists now affluent enough to travel abroad, Cameroon's Minister of Tourism Baba Hamadou said he would sign an agreement with the Chinese tourism administration, to set up a partnership in tourism activities. This could result in Chinese tourists traveling in groups to visit Cameroon.

The six countries of the CEMAC region have incredible potential to become an important tourist destination and with the advent of easier travel restrictions, this potential can be fully exploited.

 (Reporting from Cameroon)