Akwaaba African Travel Market has evolved over the years into a pivotal platform that facilitates connections, fosters collaborations, and showcases the diverse offerings of the African travel industry.

The travel expo has continued to wax stronger after 20 successful years of hosting the event.

It has created and still creating youth tourism entrepreneurs by activating Youth Tourism Potential of Africans.

The memories of the recently concluded 20th Akwaaba African Travel Market will linger for a long time in the minds of the participants, exhibitors and visitors especially five tourism journalists, young tour operators, tourism training institutions who were awarded ₦200, 000 each as Fatima Garbati Tourism Grant and others who got ₦50,000 each to support their tourism businesses.

For 20 years, Akwaaba African Travel Market has provided that missing link in the travel and tourism industry by bringing together all the key players in the travel and tourism value chain to network, engage in meaningful businesses.

This has no doubt helped to unite the continents in tourism business by providing the connection for tourism business to thrive.

As the only travel expo in West Africa, Akwaaba Travel Market has offered Africa a platform for travel business connections, bring Africa closer to trade with one another and encourage travel within the continent to tap from that huge untapped market.

Declaring the expo open alongside other dignitaries, His Royal Highness, David Nana Anim, Okatakyie Nana Anim 1, president, Royal Chiefs of Ghana, commended the efforts of the organisers in sustaining the brand over the years.

He urged the players in the travel and tourism industry to support Uko for his resilience and steadfastness in nurturing and growing the event in the last 20 years .

He advised participants to advantage of the event to collaborate, network and connect so that together, Africa can do better in tourism.

His Royal Highness, Nana Anim stated that: “I want to commend Mr. Ikechi Uko, the organiser of Akwaaba. Sustaining this expo for 20 years is not a joke. As you can see that Ghanaians and Nigerians are brothers and sisters, we are not enemies. Let us take advantage of this platform to network. I am so proud of this brand and happy to be celebrating with the good people of Nigeria.
Tourism should be the key driver of the economy all over the world. We must work in unity to ensure we groom the industry to yield bountifully from it”.

In his welcome address at the travel and tourism expo, Ambassador Ikechi Uko, the Organiser of the event and Publisher of ATQ News went memory lane to narrate how the Akwaaba journey started 20 years ago with the support of Eko Hotel and Suites and few others.

Mr. Uko said the vision of Akwaaba Travel Market is to bring Africa together and also link Nigerian tourism business to the global business.

Ambassador uko noted that resilience has been the driving force of the fair since inception.

He disclosed that for 2025, Akwaaba Expo, Chinet Aviacargo Conference, Bantaba programme and Naija 7 Wonders programme will be done together at the same venue, thus hosting all their major event in one venue with a bigger space.

Uko explained that tourism is a serious business that deserves all necessary investments and promotions.

According to Uko, before Akwaaba African Travel Market was established, Africans were travelling to London to sell African destinations and he reasoned that Africa should sell their destination in Africa and that was what prompted him to start Akwaaba.

“The vision from the beginning was to bring Africans together. Why do we need to go to London to sell Africa? This vision came to fruition when the General Manager of Eko Hotel and Suits then encouraged me to start the travel market in 2004. In the first exhibition, 80 per cent of the cost was written off by Eko Hotel,” Uko disclosed.

Speaking on the second day during the award presentation also for 100 tourism practitioners for their efforts in constantly repositioning the industry to compete with other climes, the organisers of the Akwaaba African Travel Market lauded the involvement of tourism practitioners in the sustainability of the industry across borders.

Uko said the global award was to recognise and appreciate practitioners in the industry who had been outstanding over the years, cutting across Africa.

He pointed out that the award is meant to recognise individuals in different categories regarding their immense contribution to the development of the tourism sector in their countries.

The first day of the event featured the Jollof rice contest where chef from Nigeria competed among themselves to know who cooks the best Jollof rice, the
the B2B business networking among the travel trade partners and the youth tourism forum with the theme: Activating The Youth Tourism Potentials of Africa, a call to duty”.

The 2024 edition witnessed for the first time, MTN Nigeria coming in as the official partner of the Akwaaba African Travel Market.

Speaking at the travel expo, Head, Enterprise Segments MTN Nigeria, Akinbulejo Onabolu decried the biggest problem of flight connection within the continent.

Onabolu cited the difficulty of connecting flights from Nigeria to The Gambia which sometimes takes one to as far London first.

He stated that MTN is always there to bridge the gap using technology to make business transaction less stressful.

Onabolu said Nigeria should use its music and film to promote and market the country internationally.

Speaking also at the fair, Omowunmi Olatunbosun, head, SME Segment, Enterprise and Business, MTN Nigeria, noted that the telecoms company is ready to assist practitioners in the tourism and travel business in the areas of market expansion, customer enlargement and more.

He said: “MTN’s offerings include digital applications, market expansion, customer engagement and bespoke solutions tailored to industry problems. “Implementing these solutions could reduce costs, increase productivity and drive down expenses, ultimately contributing to the growth of the tourism sector”.

For Gabe Onah, Chairman, Carnival Calabar Commission, the Commission will be partnering with YangaGames, an online gaming platform to add more fun to the number of activities lined up for the 2024 event.

Onah disclosed that the Carnival Calabar has been rated among the top 5 globally.

He stated that Most Influential People of African Descent (MIPAD) has recognised Carnival Calabar as one of the largest and most iconic carnivals organised by people of African descent worldwide.

According to him: “MIPAD aims to identify and celebrate the most influential people and events of African descent, promoting unity, empowerment, and global recognition.
This prestigious recognition underscores Carnival Calabar’s significance as a cultural showcase and tourism magnet, attracting millions of visitors annually.
As a premier cultural event known as the biggest street carnival in Africa, Carnival Calabar celebrates African heritage, creativity and unity, featuring vibrant costumes, music and performances.
MIPAD’s acknowledgment solidifies Carnival Calabar’s position alongside other prominent global carnivals, such as Trinidad and Tobago National Commission; Carnival of Salvador da Bahia, Mardi Gras, Brazil; Caribana Toronto Caribbean Carnival, Canada and Notting Hill Carnival, Kensington, UK”.

He said the recognition highlights the essential role Carnival Calabar plays in promoting African culture, unity, and economic development, adding that the endorsement is a big encouragement for them in Cross River State to do more.

For Ekiti, the State took the shine at the Travel expo, marketing its rich educational tourism potential, terrific tourism attractions, culture and food.

The State left no stone unturned in its drive to promote its rich tourism potential as one of the leading tourism destinations in Nigeria.

The state tourism delegation led by the Director General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development, Amb. Wale Ojo-Lanre,showcased its educational tourism as the state with the highest number of professors in Nigeria with six universities and numerous polytechnics, unique wildlife, vast tracks of unspoiled nature ranging from tropical forest, magnificent waterfalls, conducive hilltop holidaying climates.

Also, the DG, Mr. Ojolanre was honoured with African Travel 100 Global Leaders Award for his hard work in positioning Ekiti as the choice destination in Nigeria.

Ambassador Ojolanre disclosed that the Are Afe Babalola University is the fastest growing University in West Africa with its state of the art facilitates especially in medical sciences and research.

He said in December the state will be unveiling its state Agro Airport which will further open access to the state and create opportunities for the evacuation of its Agro products.

Commenting on the 20th Akwaaba, the Principal Executive Flyzone Tourism, Awomoyi Ayodeji, stated that Akwaaba African Travel Market has helped travel agencies, airlines, hotels, tour operators to connect with one another.

Ayodeji stated that Akwaaba is a wonderful platform for the players in the travel and tourism business.

He said Akwaaba is a platform that brings different tourism boards, different embassies, tour operators and travel agents together for good business connections.

Also speaking the Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John has said that Nigeria stands at the forefront of a tourism revolution, positioned to become a leading global destination.

Mrs Ade-John stated that the Ministry is committed to unlocking the nation’s potential through: Governance and Stakeholder Engagement: Implementing a thorough National Tourism Policy and Tourism Development MasterPlan; and reactivating key structures like the Presidential Council on Tourism, chaired by Mr. President himself.

She explained that the country’s numbers tell a compelling story.

According to her: “Tourism contributed 3.65% ($17.3 billion) to our 2022 GDP, with vast untapped potential.The sector employs 1.91 million people, aiming to multiply this in coming years.Domestic tourism saw 3 million trips in 2023, up 20% from 2022, with 200 million potential travellers.
We welcomed 1.2 million international visitors in 2023, boosting foreign exchange″.

She lauded the organisers of the Akwaaba African Travel Market 2024 for their vision and dedication.

The Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) Chief Executive officer June Chepkemei, while announcing KTB’s participation said Africa is the next frontier that Kenya was tapping into to grow its arrivals into the country

Chepkemei said the Kenya Tourism Board (KTB) is banking on the Akwaaba Travel Market, which which started on the 22 to 24th September, 2024, in Lagos, Nigeria to grow its tourism numbers from the West Africa Country.

Chepkemei stated that Akwaaba Travel Market is recognized as the largest travel expo in Western Africa, will gather industry leaders, investors, government decision-makers, and tourism professionals from over 50 countries that will be exhibiting alongside Kenya Airways and key industry stakeholders, including The Mavenpick hotels, who will be showcasing Kenya as a hub of luxurious accommodation travel experiences.

She explained that Akwaaba Travel Market serves as a vital meeting point for the travel industry, offering invaluable networking opportunities and insights into current trends and challenges.

Also speaking Josephine Mbela, Assistant Deputy Director, Domestic and Africa, Kenya Tourism Board disclosed that Nigeria is one of the key markets that the country intend to grow her numbers.

Mbela said the Kenyan Tourism Board decided to come to Akwaaba in Nigeria because this year, the country is focusing on attracting at least 50,000 Nigerians to visit Kenya.

Mbela said her team are in Akwaaba because it’s a platform that has been created for all African countries and the world to come and showcase what they have.

At the event, Cross River State Tourism Bureau won the best Nigerian exhibition stand, The Gambian won best West African stand while Kenya Tourism won best international stand.

This was the first time the Cross River Tourism Bureau will be exhibiting at Akwaaba Travel Market in more than 10 years.

The Bureau currently ably led by the Managing Director, Prince Ojoi Ekpenyong is poised to put destination Cross River back in the tourism map in Africa and the world with stellar initiatives since his resumption as MD in 2023.

Some of the recipients of the Tourism awards include, Patrick Kamanga, Managing Director, Deans Travel Centre Ltd., Kenya, Dr Raphael James, Curator of the Centre for Research, Information and Media Development (CRIMMD), Dr Adama Bah, Chairman, Institute of Travel and Tourism of the Gambia, Sheikh Ahmed Nyang, Head of School, Institute of Travel and Tourism of Gambia; Alisa Osei-Asamoah, President, Tour Operators’ Union of Ghana, (TOUGHA); Dr Gabe Onah, Chairman, Carnival Calabar, Fifi Rurangwa, Chief Executive Officer, The Xperts; Fatou Mas Jobe, Former Minister for Tourism and Culture in the Gambia; Abubacarr Camara, Director-General, Gambia Tourism Board and Dr Adama Bah, Chairman, Institute of Travel and Tourism of the Gambia, among others.

The 20th edition, which attracted participants from within the country, across Africa, and beyond lived up to it billing as the only vibrant travel market in West Africa.

On hand to add beauty and glamour are the amazing Carnival Calabar dancers who captivated the audience with their colourful costumes and wonderful dance steps.