By Seun Ibiyemi
The African International Tourism and Economic Council (AITEC World) has called on international investors and tourism stakeholders to deepen partnerships and investment in Africa’s tourism industry, stressing the need to move beyond conventional sightseeing to sustainable economic collaboration.
The council made the call on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, during its global launch at the World Travel Market (WTM) London, United Kingdom, where tourism leaders, investors, tour operators and representatives of African countries gathered to explore opportunities in the continent’s tourism sector.
Speaking at the event held at ExCeL London, AITEC World’s Global Adviser and Honorary Senior Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Nkereuwem Onung, said Africa needed meaningful partnerships that would translate its vast tourism resources into jobs, business opportunities and economic growth.
Addressing participants on the theme, “Come. Connect. Collaborate. Invest,” Onung described the initiative as a strategic effort to strengthen tourism relationships between Africa and the international community.
He explained that the council’s regional launch in Abuja was designed to connect Nigeria, while its continental unveiling in Addis Ababa sought to unite Africa, adding that the London event was aimed at connecting the continent with the global tourism market.
“We launched regionally in Abuja to connect Nigeria. We launched continentally in Addis Ababa to connect Africa. Today, we launch globally here in London to connect Africa to the World and the World to Africa,” he said.
Onung dismissed perceptions that African destinations were difficult to access, noting that the continent already had airports, seaports and digital infrastructure capable of supporting international tourism.
According to him, the major challenge confronting the sector was not physical connectivity but the need to establish stronger relationships and partnerships among tourism operators, investors and destination managers.
“Africa is connected. From Uyo, where I arrived from a few days ago, to London where I am today, it is six hours. We have airports, we have seaports, we have fibre optics. What we need is not connection of cables, but connection of minds,” he stated.
The AITEC World adviser also highlighted Akwa Ibom State’s tourism potential, citing its 129-kilometre Atlantic coastline, Ibeno Beach, the Oron Museum, which houses some of Africa’s oldest wood carvings, and the hospitality of its people.
He said the state, under Governor Umo Eno, was open to international tourism partnerships and investment, adding that ongoing infrastructure development was positioning it to attract more visitors and investors.
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Onung urged international tourism operators to establish genuine business relationships with African destinations rather than treat the continent merely as a sightseeing destination.
“Africa does not need pity tourism. Africa needs partnership tourism. Do not come to Africa to take pictures of poverty. Come to Africa to build products with us. Collaborate with our tour operators, our museums, our cultural festivals,” he said.
He explained that such partnerships would create employment, support local enterprises, strengthen cultural institutions and improve the livelihoods of host communities.
Describing AITEC World as a council rather than a travel agency, Onung said the organisation was established to build bridges between African tourism destinations and international markets.
He further stressed that increased tourist arrivals alone would not deliver the full economic benefits of tourism without corresponding investments in infrastructure, cultural assets and tourism businesses.
“Visit is good. But investment is better. Africa has 1.4 billion people, 60 per cent under 25. The future of global tourism is African,” he added.
He cited investments in Akwa Ibom’s tourism infrastructure, including Arise Park, Ibom Hotels and the state’s road network, as evidence of its readiness to attract international partners.
Onung maintained that Africa’s rich cultural heritage, natural attractions and hospitality offered significant opportunities for global investors, urging stakeholders to participate in developing the continent’s tourism industry.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Ola Awakan, called for greater unity and collaboration among African tourism stakeholders to strengthen the continent’s cultural tourism economy.
Awakan said African countries and industry players needed to adopt a strategic approach to developing sustainable tourism across national boundaries.
He commended AITEC World’s leadership for establishing a platform capable of promoting cooperation and advancing the continent’s tourism ambitions.
Similarly, the immediate past President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) and Deputy President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Susan Akporiaye, urged stakeholders to develop practical action plans to translate Africa’s tourism potential into tangible economic opportunities.
Akporiaye warned against relying on elaborate declarations without effective implementation, noting that international stakeholders were watching how African countries would transform their cultural and tourism resources into viable investment opportunities.
Meanwhile, the President of the National Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Bolaji Mustapha, reaffirmed the association’s commitment to promoting Nigeria as a competitive destination in the global tourism market.
Mustapha said NATOP would continue to leverage strategic platforms and partnerships to attract international visitors to Nigeria.
She also commended AITEC World President, Dine Bouraima, for establishing a continental platform to advance cultural tourism.
At the event, NATOP unveiled its Nigerian Tourism Passport, a handbook showcasing major tourist destinations across the country.
The publication, designed in Nigeria’s national colours and bearing the country’s identity, attracted the attention of the NTDA Director-General, who commended the association for its efforts to promote domestic tourism.
However, Awakan expressed the desire for similar initiatives to incorporate the input and endorsement of the national tourism regulatory authority to strengthen institutional collaboration.
Earlier, AITEC World President, Dine Bouraima, called on African governments, development partners and international donor agencies to support the council’s vision of increasing the global visibility of African cultural tourism.
Bouraima said the council’s previous unveiling in Abuja demonstrated Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic relevance within Africa and the international community.
He stressed the need for Africa to take greater ownership of its tourism narrative and position its cultural assets more prominently in the international market.
AITEC World is a global council dedicated to connecting Africa with international markets through tourism, culture, entertainment and investment partnerships. It seeks to promote cooperation between African destinations and international stakeholders while creating opportunities to unlock the continent’s tourism potential.
