Gates focuses on African tourism

Microsoft chief Bill Gates has announced new plans to improve tourism to Africa.

The IT mogul has donated millions to charity in a bid to help improve the lives of African people and he is now putting his efforts into developing tourism across the continent so that countries are able to generate money of their own.

Mr Gates has announced a partnership between his Microsoft company and the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) that will seek to deliver IT systems for emerging tourism nations.

It is hoped that the scheme will help to improve the competitiveness and services offered by emerging tourism economies, so that they are able to attract more travellers as well as offer a greater range of services to visitors.

"Microsoft wants to play a hands-on role to help countries and entire regions develop their knowledge-based economy, create jobs, spur growth and enable innovation," Mr Gates told the Global Leaders Forum for Africa, adding that it could help take as many as 40 million people out of poverty.

Commenting on the initiative, Francesco Frangialli, UNWTO secretary general, stated: "It links Microsoft's outstanding technology and solutions with UNWTO's central role of advancing the sector as an instrument of development."