Nigeria Advocates ECOWAS Collaboration to Boost Tourism

• The Federal Government of Nigeria calls for collaboration among ECOWAS member states to enhance competitiveness in the tourism sector
• Folorunsho Coker stresses the importance of collaboration over competition and advocates for localized policies tailored to regional needs

The Federal Government of Nigeria has called for enhanced collaboration among ECOWAS member states to bolster the tourism sector and position it competitively with other global regions.

Folorunsho Coker, Director General of the National Tourism Agency, emphasized the importance of collaboration during the opening ceremony of the meeting of experts and stakeholders in Abuja. He stressed that fostering collaboration, rather than competition, is pivotal for the growth of pan-African tourism.

Coker emphasized the need for localized policies tailored to each region’s specific needs, asserting that successful policies must resonate with local contexts.

He also advocated for consolidating regulations across ECOWAS member states into a unified framework to guide tourism sector activities. Additionally, Coker underscored the significance of training tourism operators and integrating technology into tourism practices to enhance competitiveness and efficiency.

Massandjé Toure-Liste, the Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture of the ECOWAS Commission, highlighted the meeting’s objectives stemming from the ECOTOUR 19-29 action plan endorsed by the Authority of Heads of State and Government. The plan aims to promote responsible tourism and serve as a development roadmap for the region’s tourism.

Toure-Liste outlined the meeting’s focus areas, which include developing operational guidelines for the ECOTOUR 19-29 monitoring and evaluation mechanism and defining the composition and operational modalities of the ECOWAS Tourism Accommodation Regulator (ETAR). The meeting also aims to facilitate dialogue among private sector representatives, foster strategic collaboration at the regional level, and support the establishment of a regional confederation for the private tourism sector.

The gathering commenced on Tuesday and will conclude on Friday, May 17, 2024. It underscores the commitment of ECOWAS member states to harness the potential of the tourism sector through collaborative efforts and strategic initiatives.