Attracting Tourists: Government Doubles Security, Safety Measures

FOUDA Séraphin Magloire

Secretary General,

Prime Minister's Office.

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Following is a press release from the 16^th session of the National Tourism Board held on July 13, 2017 at the Prime Minister’s Office.

“The Prime Minister, Head of Government, Philemon Yang on Thursday, 13 July 2017, chaired the sixteenth session of the National Tourism Board in the Main Building of the Prime Minister’s Office under the theme “The Safety and Security of the Tourist: Making Cameroon a Preferred Tourist Destination”.

Four items featured on the agenda:

• Report on the execution of the resolutions and recommendations of the fifteenth ordinary session;

   

• Statement of the Minister of State, Minister of Tourism and Leisure on : “Safety Norms in Hotel Business and Tourism”;

• Statement of the Minister for Territorial Administration and Decentralization on “Security and the Administrative Police”;

   

• Statement of the Delegate General for National Security on “Measures on the Safety and Security of the Visitor”.  

   

  Speaking after the introductory statement of the Prime Minister, the Permanent Secretary of the Board presented the level of implementation of the recommendations adopted during the fifteenth session.  The report revealed that the execution of the Circular Letter of 6 May 2016 regarding safety measures applicable within tourist and leisure establishments throughout the national territory was ongoing.  Also, the construction of the bungalow at Mount Mouanenguba is near completion and the setting up of the cyber tourism platform will soon be finalised. 

  Similarly, major rehabilitation works have been carried out at the Douala International airport, with a view to improving reception of tourists. Additionally, Government has mobilised resources to make some tourist sites accessible among which are: the Oudjila camp in the Mayo-sava Division, the Lake Petonoun in the Noun Division, the Lake Awing in the Mezam Division, the Man o’war-Dikolo in the Fako Division and the Ebogo site in the Nyong and So’o Division.

  The Board then listened to the statement of the Minister of State, Minister of Tourism and Leisure on Safety Norms in Hotel Business and Tourism. He began by stating that the safety and security of the tourist is a major challenge in the promotion of Cameroon as a tourist destination. After this, he presented the mechanisms through which security can be guaranteed in hotels and in the tourist environment.

  With regard to hotels, he revealed that Law No. 2016/006 of 18 April 2016 to regulate tourist and leisure activities in Cameroon calls for the safety of the tourist, the client and the leisure stakeholder. He also recalled the safety rules applicable at the architectural, sanitary, fire protection and structural levels as well as sanctions provided for in case of non respect of the decreed norms. As concerns the tourist environment, understood to be all areas which can be visited, where tourist animation can hold or in which tourists can stroll, other than beaches and hotels, the Minister of State stressed that the measures to be taken should be on sign posting and general information to guarantee the security of the visitor and his/her property.

  Works proceeded with the statement of the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization on Security and the Administrative Police. He dwelt on the preventive measures implemented to this effect, namely: gathering and timely use of information and other data on the identity of the tourist, and surveillance of the sites. He equally mentioned the joint police measures put in place by the administrative authorities, the municipal councillors and the forces of law and order, in a bid to guarantee the safety of tourists upon arrival and during their stay in Cameroon.

  Taking his turn, the Delegate General for National Security disclosed the measures regarding safety and the security of the Visitor. He revealed that overall safety measures are applicable to all persons on the national territory. They include: (i) surveillance of public places; (ii) coverage of events; (iii) prevention and suppression crimes and offences.

  Specific measures on their part are at the operational level and concern: (i) giving tourists security sheets containing service numbers they can contact in case of emergency; (ii) coverage of movements, accommodation areas and sites to be visited; (iii) securing tourist zones through video surveillance, reinforced patrols and installing filtering measures. The Secretary General of the General Delegation for National Security concluded his statement by advocating a participative security approach which involves the total collaboration of the populations and visitors with the forces of law and order.

  During discussions, Members of the Board tackled various issues related to the development of the tourist activity and proposed solutions to problems hampering the development of this sector.

  The meeting ended at 12:10 pm, with the adoption of resolutions and recommendations.”

   

   

   

  Yaounde, the 13 July 2017

   

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• Statement of the Minister for Territorial Administration and Decentralization on “Security and the Administrative Police”;

   

• Statement of the Delegate General for National Security on “Measures on the Safety and Security of the Visitor”.  

   

  Speaking after the introductory statement of the Prime Minister, the Permanent Secretary of the Board presented the level of implementation of the recommendations adopted during the fifteenth session.  The report revealed that the execution of the Circular Letter of 6 May 2016 regarding safety measures applicable within tourist and leisure establishments throughout the national territory was ongoing.  Also, the construction of the bungalow at Mount Mouanenguba is near completion and the setting up of the cyber tourism platform will soon be finalised. 

  Similarly, major rehabilitation works have been carried out at the Douala International airport, with a view to improving reception of tourists. Additionally, Government has mobilised resources to make some tourist sites accessible among which are: the Oudjila camp in the Mayo-sava Division, the Lake Petonoun in the Noun Division, the Lake Awing in the Mezam Division, the Man o’war-Dikolo in the Fako Division and the Ebogo site in the Nyong and So’o Division.

  The Board then listened to the statement of the Minister of State, Minister of Tourism and Leisure on Safety Norms in Hotel Business and Tourism. He began by stating that the safety and security of the tourist is a major challenge in the promotion of Cameroon as a tourist destination. After this, he presented the mechanisms through which security can be guaranteed in hotels and in the tourist environment.

  With regard to hotels, he revealed that Law No. 2016/006 of 18 April 2016 to regulate tourist and leisure activities in Cameroon calls for the safety of the tourist, the client and the leisure stakeholder. He also recalled the safety rules applicable at the architectural, sanitary, fire protection and structural levels as well as sanctions provided for in case of non respect of the decreed norms. As concerns the tourist environment, understood to be all areas which can be visited, where tourist animation can hold or in which tourists can stroll, other than beaches and hotels, the Minister of State stressed that the measures to be taken should be on sign posting and general information to guarantee the security of the visitor and his/her property.

  Works proceeded with the statement of the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization on Security and the Administrative Police. He dwelt on the preventive measures implemented to this effect, namely: gathering and timely use of information and other data on the identity of the tourist, and surveillance of the sites. He equally mentioned the joint police measures put in place by the administrative authorities, the municipal councillors and the forces of law and order, in a bid to guarantee the safety of tourists upon arrival and during their stay in Cameroon.

  Taking his turn, the Delegate General for National Security disclosed the measures regarding safety and the security of the Visitor. He revealed that overall safety measures are applicable to all persons on the national territory. They include: (i) surveillance of public places; (ii) coverage of events; (iii) prevention and suppression crimes and offences.

  Specific measures on their part are at the operational level and concern: (i) giving tourists security sheets containing service numbers they can contact in case of emergency; (ii) coverage of movements, accommodation areas and sites to be visited; (iii) securing tourist zones through video surveillance, reinforced patrols and installing filtering measures. The Secretary General of the General Delegation for National Security concluded his statement by advocating a participative security approach which involves the total collaboration of the populations and visitors with the forces of law and order.

  During discussions, Members of the Board tackled various issues related to the development of the tourist activity and proposed solutions to problems hampering the development of this sector.

  The meeting ended at 12:10 pm, with the adoption of resolutions and recommendations.”

   

   

   

  Yaounde, the 13 July 2017

   

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Following is a press release from the 16^th session of the National Tourism Board held on July 13, 2017 at the Prime Minister’s Office.

“The Prime Mini...