The findings on the ground are clear: Cameroon’s immense natural and cultural wealth suffers from a lack of structuring. Until now, a natural sanctuary in the hinterland or an iconic waterfall was treated administratively on the same level as a simple urban leisure establishment. This confusion has long hindered investment, as developers lacked official benchmarks to evaluate the profitability of their projects. The reality of the figures demands urgent action: the sector, which contributes 4% to the GDP, requires clear standards to attract international flows. For local populations, the absence of labels had previously hindered the creation of direct jobs and the growth of local economies.

To address this imbalance, the National Commission for the Classification of Tourism and Leisure Establishments introduced a major innovation during its session this morning. Presided over by Secretary-General Paul Marcel Ndioro à Mamoum, representing the Minister of State, the proceedings formalized a progressive recognition system. From now on, the processing of tourist sites is separated from the traditional procedures dedicated to hotels. The new nomenclature requires a merit-based ascent: a site must first prove its local impact before claiming regional or national status. This hierarchy allows for the isolation of specific attractive features unique to each location, transforming a simple geographical space into a certified destination.

The stakes of this historic session lie in the rigor of category attribution. The Secretary-General urged commission members to exercise surgical vigilance. The goal is to avoid any devaluation of labels: a "national" category must strictly meet criteria for accessibility, security, and superior facilities. This specialized handling of files marks the beginning of a new era for the entertainment and leisure industry. By establishing these new classification canons, MINTOUL is providing the country with a strategic management tool. This reform is expected not only to stimulate domestic tourism by securing vacationers' choices but also to offer financial partners a reliable map of development opportunities across the entire national triangle.

CK