The Regional Tourism Organization of  Southern Africa (RETOSA) is a concept that brings together the 14 fascinating countries of the Southern part of Africa – Angola, Botswana, DR Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe to offer a unique opportunity to discover the natural wonders and splendours of the region – the infinite contrasts of scenery, climate, colour, traditions and culture, the spirit of Africa.

RETOSA believes that if sustainably developed tourism offers the SADC countries the opportunity to:

• drive economic growth and boost job creation throughout the economy;
• increase export earnings and attract inward investment;
• alleviate poverty and stimulate rapid economic development in rural and peripheral areas;
• assist with broader economic development by using Tourism related infrastructure and transport networks;
• increase lobbying efforts in the transport and communication sector in liberalization of air transport and development of international hubs to allow direct air access to more destinations in SADC;
• work with the private sector in collaborative ventures with a focus on sustainable development, open markets and human resource development;
• draw on abundant natural and cultural resources in partnership with local communities and other stakeholders and improve the quality of life for all residents;
• draw on a strong core Brand already developed by the sector in communicating the Region’s tourism identity;

RETOSA however is cognisant of the key challenges that face tourism in the region  and these include:

• availability/in-availability of accurate and reliable tourism statistics and information necessary for investment and business decisions;
• lack of adequate information on internationally acceptable standards of service in tourism operations;
• gaps in infrastructure, a lack of capacity and the need for major investment in facilities;
• poor international flight frequency, often limited internal transport links, and cross border access difficulties;
• too much red tape, both for companies doing business in SADC and for the tourists who want to visit;
• a lack of basic education and vocational training in customer care and service quality;

The Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA) is a Southern African Development Community (SADC) body responsible for the promotion and Marketing of Tourism in the region.

The organization is managed by a Board drawn from National Tourism Authorities/Boards and National Tourism private sector umbrella bodies in the SADC countries.  RETOSA offices are in Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Mission

To ensure that the tourism industry becomes the 21st century’s economic driver for SADC through effective development and promotion of the sector.

Mandate

To market and promote tourism in Southern Africa (the region) in close cooperation with the region’s National Tourist Organizations and the Private Sector.

Aim

To create a concrete destination identity in the market in order for the region to compete effectively.  The Organization combines the full spread of the stakeholder interests in the region – Public and Private Sectors, and the Community – into one Focused organization

Strategic Objectives

No 1 -  To increase the volume of inbound tourism to and within the region
No 2 -  To create investment awareness for tourism  development in the region.

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