Joyce Onwuka
The 22nd edition of Akwaaba African Travel Market will bring African Sports and Tourism together at its 2nd African Tour Operators Summit in Lagos. Akwaaba will be held from the 13th to the 15th of September in Lagos, Nigeria.
West Africa is the football powerhouse in Africa, always with the highest number of qualifiers for the African Football Fiesta AFCON. East Africa is Africa’s tourism paradise with Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda leading the charge. The 2027 AFCON would be hosted jointly by the 3 East African Countries of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya and it is expected to be a huge tourism party across the 3 countries. It offers an African opportunity to connect sports and tourism on a continental level.
To this end the organisers of the only international travel and tourism expo in West Africa is putting together an African Tour Operators Summit in Lagos bringing together East African Tour operators to meet with their West African partners over 3 days. The summit will enable Tour Operators to network and jointly build packages for AFCON 2027. This will be the 2nd edition of the African Tour Operators’ Summit. The first was held in 2018. As part of the summit this year, the AFRICA TRAVEL 100 Awards for African Tour Operators will be held on the 14th of September.
The awards will honour African Tour Operators that promote and Market African Destinations to Africans. It is the Africans for Africa Awards.
Akwaaba African Travel Market is the biggest travel expo in West Africa and one of the top 5 in Africa. In 2022, Akwaaba was recognized with an Award of Excellence in Tourism by the Nigerian Government and United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). It draws attendance from over 20 countries within and outside Africa. The 3-day tourism event will include Africa Food Fair, African Medical Tourism, African Tourism Conference, Networking, Exhibitions, Africa Travel 100 Awards, B2B, Destination Wedding, African Youth Tourism Bantaba, Travel Technology, CHINET Aviacargo.
Over the years AKWAABA African Travel Market has grown to become the most important travel marketing platform in West Africa drawing attendance from over 20 countries within and outside Africa such as but not limited to; The Gambia, Kenya, Uganda, Dubai, Ghana, Seychelles, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa, Egypt and Turkey. AKWAABA Expo covers destinations, inbound and outbound travel to Africa, aviation and hospitality among others.