The African International Tourism and Economic Council, AITEC World has disclosed plans to tackle the problem of air connectivity, visa issue, and some other major tourism concerns aimed at promoting tourism growth in Africa.
AITEC World team made up of the President, Ambassador Mouinou Dine Bouraima, Dr. Tony Luka Elumelu, National Representative for AITEC World in Nigeria, Ambassador Kazeem Balogun, Vice President Communications and International Relations and
Dr. Olamma Ojukwu, National Representative for Benin Republic who were in Lagos for the 10th Annual General Meeting, AGM of the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators, NATOP, stated that they came for the AGM to sell Africa Tourism Dialogue which is the most powerful event in Tourism in Africa.
The team led by Ambassador Bouraima, the President of AITEC with headquarters in Cotonou disclosed that the event is happening every year in Addis Ababa, at the Africa Union Hall.
Ambassador Bouraima stated that the programme will host Governments, Presidents of countries, important persons in Tourism in Africa, across Africa, and across the world.
He said last year was the first edition of the programme while the second edition is between 12 November to 14th 2026.
Bouraima expressed optimism that for this year, they are hoping to receive many tourism stakeholders from Nigeria and those in Economic sector as well, adding that AITEC is not only Tourism, but Tourism and Economy.
Speaking also, Ambassador Kazeem Balogun explained that part of what they will be doing in Addis Ababa is having some personalities who will speak on the theme of the programme.
Ambassador Balogun stated that: “We will do a kind of institutional visitation to some institutions in Addis Ababa. And there we will have an award, a gala night. The award is called Africa Tourism and Economic Awards.
The Awards will take place during that event. Then we will also do the last thing, the tour of Addis Ababa. So it is going to be an interesting second edition of Africa Tourism Dialogue in Addis Ababa”.
He said the organisation is aiming to create a kind of platform through which they will be able to discuss the challenges that Africa is facing.
Balogun stated further that the team will bring in resource persons who will be addressing those things and will provide solutions to some of the challenges.
He emphasised that: “You know it has become part of us in Africa. Not only will we solve the problem, we will continue to discuss these and some other issues affecting Africa in general when it comes to it. Part of it is because like what he said, we talk about tourism and we talk about the economy. So there are two things. Then at some point we will bring them together to look at how the two can serve the purpose of Africa in terms of development”.
In his contribution also, Dr. Tony Elumelu explained that within the context of the continental free trade, tourism is a critical aspect of continental Africa.
We all know what continental free trade entails, as you mentioned, economic issues. It means the movement of persons, goods, services, capital and tourism is an integral part of that. So that will give opportunity for people to showcase that within this context there will be a need for people to move across the border seamlessly, like you mentioned. And also for goods also that are manufactured within our region. Because it is the biggest, the largest market, Elumelu said.
He continued that: “So what we are doing now is that we shouldn’t enter the trade without African destination. So we are trying to make people to know, to key into the program so that we all move together. So that’s an addition to what it is”.
He stated that regional trade, continental free trade, tourism is exactly what they want to showcase.
Elumelu said AITEC is not limited to everything that has to do with tourism and economy including
the African tourism dialogue, and everything that has to do with tourism .
He added that coming next year, they wil be looking at not just tourism, but the economic aspect of it making the name Africa tourism and economic dialogue.
Elumelu explained further that: ” So we’ll be able to bring in individuals, you know, resource individuals that will be able to speak to that as well. So for us, we are not limited to anything when it comes to tourism and economy. So the two are interwoven.
When you talk about tourism, it’s a particular sector that has contributed in many states within the region to their GDP. But most of the time, it is neglected. If you look at the conversations here, discussions here, people are trying to refocus and bring in partnership within the government and the operators, that is the only way, then talking about infrastructure and talking about policymaking”.
Elumelu who was the immediate past Director of private sector in ECOWAS responsible for investment and tourism noted that part of what was discussed in the last summit was how to have a cheaper air travel.
He said AITEC will assist in having advocacy and sensitization to relevant institutions and governments to make sure that what they have signed, they will implement, adding that the dialogue is not for them to go back after the debate.
Elumelu stressed the need for advocacy, using the media, the civil society, to make sure that implementation is seamless.
In her contribution also, Olamma Ojukwu stated that the event will provide tourism stakeholders and even economic stakeholders the platforms to connect.
Ojukwu added that last year, they were in Abuja for the official inauguration, and then in Addis Ababa for the Africa Celebrate.
She stated that this year they will be travelling on the 2nd of November to London opposite the Excel London Hall, where they will be receiving all the business men and tourism stakeholders, presenting them with what they are doing and given them platforms to connect on the 4th of November.
She explained further that they will be leaving London on the 9th to Addis Ababa to be part and parcel of Africa Celebrate where they will participate and celebrate at the African Union with all the leaders, the kings in all the African countries and business men of the region and beyond.
She maintained that during this period also, they will have opportunity to address the world, to make them understand that ITEC world is out not to make Africans depend on Western world, pointing out that most of the very high tourism associations have always been manned from the other side.
According to her, “this time, we’re having an African, a Beninese for that matter, as our President. And he was able to handle Benin Tourism Association as the ePresident for more= than 10 years. That drove a lot of decisions to be changed at the government level.
And he’s saying, as a member of one of the international tourism associations, he’ll be able to use his experience over the years to bring the whole of West Africa, the whole Africa, on the world tourism map and world economic map. This is what we’ll be doing this November.”
