Investing in Aviation will enable the world have unlimited access to Africa and its numerous attractions.

Francis Nhema,the Minister of Environment and Tourism, said at a conference of Airlines Association of Southern Africa held in Victoria Falls at the weekend that tourism would only flourish if the skies were safe and accessible.

“There is a strong relationship or synergy between aviation and tourism,” he added, saying that one could not operate at full capacity without the other. “Aviation opens up the least accessible places to tourists, and indirectly contributes to employment opportunities in the marginal communities.”

He then urged the African governments to ensure that policies directing towards supporting the growth of the transport sector and not just focusing on tourism and also requested regional governments to continue engaging in bilateral and multilateral agreements in order to facilitate other national developments such as trade and cultural advancements

“You can have the mighty Victoria Falls in your backyard surrounded by the best hotels, but as long as you have no transport infrastructures to reach this gem, it is worth nothing,” he said.

He noted that Africa had a good record in aviation, adding that should propel the continent to maintain its standards, especially with the 2010 Fifa World Cup final in South Africa.

“African airlines have bounced back and recovered faster than our First World counterparts, because of limited terrorism threats, although this should not be a reason for complacency,” he said.

Minister Nhema said the global event should show the world how united the continent was and what it could offer to the tourists and visitors.