The Seventh Accra Weizo West African Travel Expo, organized by Akwaaba Travel Market in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority, concluded successfully at the Accra City Hotel, marking a significant effort to foster seamless travel across West Africa.

The event, spearheaded by Ikechi Uko of Akwaaba Travel Market, aimed to transform West Africa into a vibrant domestic travel market, tapping into the abundant tourism opportunities within the region.

Key stakeholders from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Togo, and Kenya gathered to explore ways to enhance regional tourism cooperation and infrastructure development.

A highlight of this year’s expo was the panel discussion themed ‘Growing Partnership Among Travel and Tour Professionals in West Africa’. Participants such as Ama Akoto, Deputy Director for Hospitality at the Ghana Tourism Authority, emphasized the importance of standardizing hotels and improving customer service standards across the region.

Addressing the gathering, Nana Basoah Boakye, CEO of BT Travel and Tours Ghana, underscored the necessity for mutual collaborations among ECOWAS countries to boost tourism and economic exchanges. “Our region receives the least tourism arrivals in Africa,” Boakye lamented, attributing this to the lack of robust partnerships and intra-regional travel initiatives.

Shalom Asuquo, CEO of Travelab Nigeria, echoed these sentiments, advocating for healthy competition among West African destinations to enhance service quality and attract more visitors. “Competitiveness fosters innovation and professionalism,” Asuquo remarked, stressing the need for destinations to meet international standards to sustain tourist interest.

Gifty Barawusu, CEO of Barjul Travels and Tours, supported this view, emphasizing that healthy competition among tour operators drives innovation and improves service delivery. However, Olanma Ojukwu, CEO of GOTA Voyages from Benin Republic, urged for stronger collaboration among regional operators to address gaps in service quality and customer satisfaction.

The Accra Weizo expo concluded with a consensus on the urgent need for West African countries to work together to harness their tourism potential effectively. The event not only showcased the region’s diverse cultural heritage and tourism offerings but also laid the groundwork for future collaborations aimed at positioning West Africa as a competitive global tourist destination.