The Toamasina seminar was a first and unique experience, as it has been organised and sponsored by various institutional partners: UNCTAD, Regional Authority of Rhône-Alpes (France), Regional Authority of Toamasina (Madagascar), Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Madagascar) and Ministry in charge of Industrialisation and Private Sector Development (Madagascar).

Three objectives were underlying:
- evaluate the contribution of the tourism sector in a Least Developed Country (LDC) economy;
-  analyse tourism sustainability and the possible implications of civil society;
-  identify key elements for the implementation of a relevant e-tourism strategy.

22 participants (see attached file PDF, 296 KB) from Tamatave (Toamasina region), Antsirabé (Vakinankaratra region) and Tananarive joined UNCTAD and Tetraktys (Rhône-Alpes based NGO) trainers. Observers from the Regional Authority of Auvergne (France), which will organize soon a similar workshop in Antsirabé, were also present.

Participants' different fields of work - institutions supporting the tourism sector, tourism stakeholders, and public administration officers - allowed them to raise a useful debate during the three modules of the seminar:

Module 1/ importance of the tourism sector in a LDC economy (led by the TrainForTrade programme, UNCTAD)
Module 2/ role of civil society in sustainable tourism (in charge of the Tetraktys NGO)
Module 3/ elements at stake and modalities of e-tourism strategies (given by the E-Tourism Initiative, UNCTAD)

The seminar also combined theoretical modules with practical activities; on 21 October, a field visit on the Tetraktys project of a tourist site - Canal des Pengalanes - gave to participants the opportunity to apprehend directly the sustainable tourism issues in the region, in relation with the Module 2 presented during the seminar.

An evaluation by the participants was held at the end of the workshop. All tests about the three modules highlighted a high level of understanding and an excellent opinion about the whole seminar. 

This activity won't remain isolated; first, because of the creation of a Task Force on the Improvement of the Tourism Sector in Toamasina. This group composed by various local tourism stakeholders will identify issues at stake for the development of sustainable tourism in the Region. It is also in charge of the definition and finalization of a pilot Plan of Actions (February - March 2007).

Lastly, because this seminar was the first in its kind for UNCTAD and Rhône-Alpes. It shows that synergies between international and regional levels in the development field exist and can be exploited, by associating fund donors, decision makers, local stakeholders and civil society representatives. UNCTAD and Rhône-Alpes will go on cooperating in the tourism field. Next step for UNCTAD activities in Madagascar will be the organisation, jointly with the Regional Authority of Auvergne, of a workshop tackling similar issues (Region of Vakinankaratra, Antsirabé, Madagascar - beginning of 2007).