Tourism experts across West Africa have underscored the need to accelerate the development of the region’s tourism sector, highlighting its potential to drive economic growth, create jobs, and promote cultural exchange.

They made these remarks at the eighth edition of the West African Travel Expo (Accraweizo 2025), which began on Friday in Ghana.

The event focused on seamless travel in West Africa, exploring its opportunities and challenges, and features a summit for West African tour operators.

It has the theme: “Reimagining The ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol.”

Director, Private Sector, ECOWAS Commission, Dr Tony Luka-Elumelu, stated that tourism in Africa encompasses a wide range of experiences and benefits beyond mobility.

According to him, there is a growing demand for tourism in West Africa and the continent in general, driven by increasing disposable incomes and a desire for unique experiences.

He said, “Tourism is something that should flow within Africa. If we have all the sites that we talk about; hotels; whatever it is, if we protect them with the kind of passion that we ought to, we will find out that we will make Africa a destination continent.”

The director noted that ECOWAS had made significant contributions to tourism in West Africa through various initiatives.

He explained that some of these include a capacity-building programme, launched to equip stakeholders with essential tools to improve tourism standards, attract investment, and enhance cooperation across member states.

Mr Luka-Elumelu added that ECOWAS also introduced the ECOTOUR Policy, a comprehensive framework aimed at making West Africa a competitive and preferred global tourism destination.

“This policy focuses on improving tourism standards, creating job opportunities, and ensuring smoother travel across the region,” he explained.

Mr Luka-Elumelu further stated that ECOWAS was working to standardise tourism services, including hotel classification, to build trust and attract investment.

“This initiative aims to ensure that hotels across member states meet the same standards,” he said.

According to him, the initiatives demonstrate ECOWAS’ commitment to developing the tourism sector in West Africa, promoting economic integration, and improving the lives of its citizens.

Similarly, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Prof. Kobby Mensah, noted that tourism wa crucial for West Africa’s economic growth and development.

Mr Mensah stressed the importance of delivering tailored tourism experiences that meet the needs of different visitor segments, leveraging technology and innovative processes to enhance the tourism experience.

He emphasised that digital transformation is key to unlocking Africa’s tourism potential, citing the need for seamless, tech-enabled interactions, from digital booking systems to immersive cultural experiences powered by technology.

“I have always thought that we haven’t really taken the big initiative that we have to, that could scale this sector. The continent has so much to give, but we haven’t been bold enough to let the continent give what it has to, and it looks like the tourism sector is just doing the same thing. This continent is absolutely tourism; the sector needs that kind of boldness to venture into spaces. And what will it take? It will take research,” he said.

In his presentation, Managing Director, Adansi Travels, Gideon Asare, urged destination marketers to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a tool to enhance the visitor experience, increase tourism revenue, and promote sustainable practices within the sector.

He encouraged operators in the sector to tap into AI-enabled platforms to enhance their jobs.

In his remarks, organiser of the Accra Weizo Travel Expo, Ikechi Uko, said the travel event is targeted at fostering seamless travel in West Africa.

According to him, the goal is to improve travel and tourism growth in West Africa through easy access to towns and cities within the region, improving and simplifying airport and border processes, among other things.

He added, “West Africa is the biggest region in Africa, with over 400 million people rich in culture and tourist attractions. It receives the least number of tourists, yet West African countries generate the highest number of outbound travellers in Africa.

“There is a need to encourage West Africans to travel within the region, and this is the goal of Accra Weizo. To make this happen, there is a need to create a seamless travel environment. This will make West Africa an open domestic market, harnessing the market and opportunities within, which is the goal of Accra Weizo.’’

(NAN)