In a significant move to boost the tourism sector within West Africa, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recently hosted a four-day workshop aimed at enhancing intra-regional tourism. The event was organized by the Directorate of Private Sector of ECOWAS under the leadership of Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs. Massandje TOURE-LITSE, who was represented by Dr. Tony Luka ELUMELU, Acting Director of Private Sector.
Dr. Elumelu emphasized that the workshop’s objective is “to foster a harmonized regulatory framework to propel tourism to new heights and build a sustainable foundation for growth and unparalleled regional collaboration.” He highlighted ECOWAS’s vision for integrating tourism into the African Continental Free Trade Area’s (AfCFTA) trade-in services agenda, with hopes that West Africa will emerge as a leading tourism destination.
The workshop took place in Abuja from December 16th to 19th, 2024. It focused on improving compliance with existing tourism regulations and policies while also enhancing regional cooperation and capacity building through initiatives like ECOTOUR 19-29.
