Tourism And Creativity At The Forefront: Now, Africa Tourism And Creative Economy Expo In Abuja

Published on August 11, 2025 |

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, nan Director-General of nan World Trade Organisation, has publically backed nan Africa Tourism and Creative Economy Expo, group for November 2025 successful Abuja, Nigeria. Designed to beryllium a game-changer for nan continent’s tourism industry, nan Expo will spotlight Africa’s rich | taste and imaginative assets arsenic engines for waste and acquisition and economical growth. In a missive to Mr. Chuks Akamadu, nan CEO of Afrocultour and nan Expo’s organiser, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala praised nan inaugural for its imaginable to move Africa’s earthy comparative advantages successful tourism and productivity into actual competitory gains.

Under nan taxable “Optimising Africa’s Comparative and Competitive Advantage for Accelerated Trade and Economic Growth,” nan Africa Tourism and Creative Economy Expo will service arsenic a move shape for Africa’s taste and tourism assets. The gathering will merge manufacture leaders, policymakers, imaginative professionals, and world stakeholders to speech ideas and champion practices, ensuring that Africa’s tourism assemblage grows sustainably and strengthens its position successful world trade.

A Strategic Push for Africa’s Tourism Industry

In a caller letter, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala pointed retired really nan Expo tin thief Africa radiance connected nan world’s tourism stage. She reminded america that nan continent’s heavy taste roots, stunning landscapes, and one-of-a-kind attractions clasp hidden economical power, particularly successful waste and acquisition and services. According to nan WTO Director-General, nan continent’s economical early depends connected services, and tourism is 1 of nan strongest engines that tin substance that future.

From ancient ruins to breathtaking nationalist parks, Africa’s diverseness tin pull travelers from each area of nan globe. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s telephone shows that African countries must leverage their taste and imaginative treasures to weave tighter proviso chains and waste and acquisition routes. The extremity is not conscionable to invited much visitors, but to link tourism pinch wider economical maturation that lifts communities crossed nan full continent.

Tourism and nan Creative Economy arsenic Drivers of Trade

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala’s support for nan Expo is perfectly timed. Africa is progressively alert that tourism is captious for economical growth. Regions rich | successful taste heritage—West Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa—have tremendous tourism potential. This imaginable tin construe into jobs, stronger section economies, and deeper location ties. Yet, gaps successful roads and airports, constricted formation options, and nan request for stronger trading proceed to slow progress.

The Africa Tourism and Creative Economy Expo is designed to flooded these barriers. By bringing together African governments, world partners, and nan backstage sector, nan Expo will foster speech and collaboration. Panellists will analyse pressing topics for illustration sustainable tourism, opportunities successful nan imaginative economy, nan request for infrastructure upgrades, and proven approaches for boosting Africa’s portion of nan world tourism market.

Visitors arriving for nan Expo will not only circuit nan pavilions; they will measurement into nan beating bosom of Africa’s imaginative economy. From euphony and movie to manner and design, nan Expo will showcase nan industries wherever stories, beats, and textiles collide to create jobs and opportunity. Artists and filmmakers whose activity is already winning Oscars and Grammys will show really civilization is nan continent’s newest difficult currency, adding extent to each recreation itinerary. Attendees will spot really a taste circuit tin extremity pinch a locally crafted garment aliases a movie show screening nether nan stars, turning Africa into a single, vibrant, and affordable imaginative economy.

Tourism provides nan stage, and nan rising imaginative system provides nan script. Africa welcomed complete 67 cardinal world visitors successful 2023, and each visitant spent money that rippled crossed hotels, markets, and into musicians’ pockets. The Africa Tourism study points retired that nan assemblage now drives 8.5% of nan continent’s GDP, underlining nan relationship betwixt a caller edifice successful Zanzibar and a caller medium successful Lagos. Third, visitors time off pinch stories, and African countries are learning that a bully tune, a clever film, aliases a striking outfit tin beryllium nan quality betwixt a one-time visitant and a lifelong fan. The imagination is simple: amended roads, much festivals, and euphony that tin beryllium streamed successful immoderate state of nan world. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala points retired that services for illustration recreation and imaginative exports are now cardinal to Africa’s economical blueprint. The continent’s travel is acold from over; pinch each caller formation and each caller imaginative venture, it writes nan adjacent section together.

Also, Africa’s imaginative system is booming correct now. Countries for illustration Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya are seeing music, film, and manner weave deeper into nan economical fabric. More African films and songs are hitting nan world shape done Spotify, Netflix, and YouTube, and artists are landing world partnerships that were erstwhile rare.

A Chance to Grow Together

The Africa Tourism and Creative Economy Expo will radiance a ray connected really African countries tin squad up. Intra-African tourism is connected nan rise, and nan African Union’s Agenda 2063 is encouraging nations to connect. At nan Expo, tourism boards, imaginative entrepreneurs, and authorities leaders tin talk shared flights, associated marketing, and cross-border festivals that make it easier to move group and goods. New markets tin unfastened for African crafts, textiles, and music, and nan Expo tin spark nan infrastructure—roads, shelters, and tech—our increasing tourism assemblage needs.

Being held successful Abuja, Nigeria, gives nan Expo a strategical edge. Nigeria is 1 of nan continent’s biggest economies and a powerhouse successful tourism and nan imaginative sector. The country’s tourism segment is basking correct now, featuring earthy wonders for illustration Zuma Rock and nan Ogbunike Caves, on pinch vibrant taste festivals that tie visitors from each complete nan world.

Looking Ahead: How nan Expo Will Shape Africa’s Tourism Future

Thanks to Dr. Okonjo-Iweala and nan increasing power astir nan Expo, nan Africa Tourism and Creative Economy Expo is fresh to alteration nan crippled for nan continent’s recreation sector. The Expo will invited worldwide investors, funny travelers, and manufacture experts, unlocking caller funding, amended roads and airports, and stronger tourer policies each crossed Africa.

With nan countdown on, excitement is building for a infinitesimal that could redefine nan industry. The Expo arrives conscionable arsenic world travelers are looking to Africa much than ever before, eager to acquisition its vibrant cultures and stunning landscapes. The timing could not beryllium better.