His Excellency, Ambassador Dr. Makase Nyaphisi participated in the Berlin International Economics Conference which took place in Berlin, Germany on 9 – 12th March, 2011. The Conference ran parallel to the Berlin International Tourism Conference (ITB).

The Berlin International Economics Congress 2011 was one of the leading global conferences combining the fields of International Economics, Nation Branding and International Relations with an interdisciplinary and multinational program. The conference explored the future of Nation Branding, Tourism and International Investment in a Globalized World. The program consisted of lectures, seminars, workshops, interactive sessions and panel discussions, which featured renowned figures from international economics & politics, academia, marketing, advertising, and civil society.

Tourism has long been earmarked, by both developing and developed States, as a major vehicle for job creation, economic development and poverty alleviation. Consequently, nations have realized the need to embark on strategies and mechanisms of improving their image in order to play a meaningful role in the increasingly globalized, ever-expanding and competitive international market. The importance of participating in the Conference can, therefore, not be overestimated.

In small States, the realization of the potential encapsulated in the tourism industry is faced with many challenges. It is becoming increasingly important for such States to seek strategies that will act as catalysts in enabling flourishing of their tourism industry.

It is on this note that His Excellency; Ambassador Dr. Makase Nyaphisi explored: Challenges and Opportunities Facing Small States in Enhancing Tourism and Nation Branding, using the Kingdom of Lesotho as case study.