The fourth edition of the Africa Youth in tourism innovation challenge and summit is set to take place in Namibia from 27 to 29 July in Windhoek.
The summit is organised through the environment ministry and Africa Tourism Partners in collaboration with UNWTO.
The fourth edition is held under the theme, ‘Developing youth and innovative entrepreneurship solutions for inclusive tourism recovery in Africa’.
Since its inception in 2019, the event has gathered the continent’s young innovative minds and offered ideas to help scale up tourism in Africa.
The 4th innovation challenge aims to empower African youth between the ages of 18 and 35 years by providing business partnerships, market access, networking and mentorship; it further plans to provide platforms and funding solutions from the global marketplace, including UNWTO, Namibia business enterprises, private sector, start-ups and fintech.
The summit also invites youth to participate in the challenge, with the winner of the Africa Tourism Innovation Challenge receiving a US$1000 seed grant, whilst 1st and 2nd runners-up receive US$500, among several benefits.
New Era (NE) interviewed Luze Kloppers (LK), who is the 2020 runner-up Africa Youth in the Tourism Innovation Challenge and founder of the Recycling Lab, which she founded in 2020 during the lockdown.
The company recycles waste, particularly the large amount of waste from the hospitality industry, into various products, such as fencing for farms, dustbins and craft items.
It was awarded the Africa Tourism Leadership Youth Innovation Award for its initiative in sustainable architecture and waste management.
NE: Who is Luze Kloppers?
LK: I am an architect and project manager, with expertise in eco-tourism, sustainable design solutions, anthropology and material management. In 2020, I received 1st runner-up during the Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Challenge for my proposal to create a circular economy in Namibia by using recycling machines, built and designed to work in rural areas.
I was also nominated as one of Namibia’s top three Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) youth influencers and was listed as one of Namibia’s moon shots by the United Nations Development Programme. I am also a social media influencer, promoting eco-tourism and green design solutions within the hospitality sector.
NE: What motivated you to apply for the innovation challenge competition?
LK: I was going through a very tough time in my life, like many people during Covid-19, when I started looking for solutions for the hospitality industry and the many unemployed youth it left behind. After travelling and working in over 15 countries, I was intrigued by the plastic waste challenges in the hospitality sector – and because waste was seen as “useless”, this became my starting point. I had a proposal, the equipment and tools but no way of knowing if it could actually work. So, I entered the innovation challenge to test my idea and to get possible mentorship and guidance to develop it further.
NE: Why is it so important for the youth to participate in the innovation challenge?
LK: Youth unemployment is something every young person ponders on. However, entrepreneurship is our greatest weapon to suppress unemployment. The Tourism Innovation Challenge is not only an exclusive platform to showcase youth innovations and success stories, but it also brings likeminded people together in the tourism sector. It is the perfect time to collaborate and network to find people who can help you grow.
NE: What does this year’s innovation challenge theme mean to you as an innovator?
LK: The theme, ‘Developing Youth and Innovation Entrepreneurship Solution for Inclusive Tourism Recovery in Africa’, makes me very excited. As an innovator and problem solver, I am always questioning why things work in a certain way, and try to find new solutions to do something better. But it is still generally believed that women do not work in occupations associated with innovation, and that women lack the self-confidence to carry out innovative work. I am set on challenging these beliefs. Innovation is about pushing boundaries and striving to do things differently. Young females bring a new perspective to the world of innovation and should not be discouraged to add their value.
NE: Entrepreneurship and innovation are what move industries and economies. The youth do not get enough support to fully drive their great innovative ideas to fruition. Describe the challenges that are facing innovation in Africa?
LK: The main challenge for entrepreneurs is not necessarily the lack of funds, but rather the lack of business management skills and how to leverage relevant resources. Youth do not necessarily have all the needed experience of what works and what does not. And once we hit a roadblock, we give up. Therefore, Africa should not invest in ideas alone; Africa should invest in people – passionate, committed and relentlessly focused individuals who would stop at nothing to make something happen. Anyone can submit a flashy proposal, but not everyone can push through when things get difficult. So, the problem is not that there are not any innovative ideas or funds to implement the ideas; the thing that is keeping youth back and demotivated is the lack of guidance, support and mentorship.
NE: This year’s summit will include a desktop exhibition, focused on highlighting youth empowerment initiatives; SME trade offerings, including tour operators, tourism accommodation facilities, transport service providers, travel and marketing technology start-ups and incubators; employment agencies, professional development and more. What is your take on that?
LK: It is very exciting that the summit has been growing so tremendously over the last few years.
NE: In your view, what advantages do technological advancement play in tourism, and how can the sector leverage these advantages to advance tourism?
LK: Social media and other technologies in the tourism space have valuable contributions, like promoting available products, showcasing destinations, collecting data and building trust.
NE: Namibia experienced an increase in tourism declined by a massive 89.4%. How will this summit restore confidence and reactivate the tourism sector to rebuild a more resilient tourism economy in future?
LK: Rebuilding tourism in Namibia is a priority, and the summit provides the opportunity to rethink tourism for the future. Tourism is at a crossroad, and the measures put in place will shape the tourism of tomorrow. Namibia needs to consider the longer-term implications of the crisis, while capitalising on digitalisation, supporting low carbon transition and promoting transformation needed to build a stronger, more sustainable, inclusive and resilient tourism economy.
NE: Why is it important for a country like Namibia to host this summit?
LK: It is said Namibia is the soul of Africa. The vast country of rolling dunes, swirling mists and breath-taking views you will not find anywhere else on earth. Hosting the summit in Namibia provides many people with the opportunity to experience the hospitality of the Namibian people and learn from her wisdom. The summit puts a spotlight on Namibia and all it has to offer.