AITEC World launches at WTM London, urges global investors to partner with Africa on tourism
Maureen Aguta
The African International Tourism and Economic Council (AITEC World) has officially launched on the global stage at the World Travel Market (WTM) London, urging international tourism stakeholders to move beyond sightseeing and embrace strategic partnerships, collaboration and investment in Africa’s tourism industry.
The global launch, held on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at the South Gallery, Room 20, ExCeL London, United Kingdom, brought together African countries participating in WTM London, tourism leaders, tour operators, investors and media representatives.
The event, which marked the Council’s third major launch following its regional unveiling in Abuja and continental launch in Addis Ababa, was headlined by its Global Adviser and Honorary Senior Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism to the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Nkereuwem Onung.
Speaking on the theme, “Come. Connect. Collaborate. Invest,” Onung said the initiative was designed to reposition Africa’s tourism industry by fostering mutually beneficial relationships between the continent and the international tourism market.
He explained that while the Abuja launch was aimed at connecting Nigeria and the Addis Ababa event at strengthening continental cooperation, the London unveiling was intended to deepen Africa’s engagement with the global tourism ecosystem.
“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 challenged the perception that Africa remained difficult to access, insisting that the continent had adequate transport and digital infrastructure to support international tourism, but needed stronger partnerships to unlock its vast potential.
“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 said.
He also spotlighted Akwa Ibom State as an emerging tourism destination, 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.
According to him, the state, under Governor Umo Eno, is positioning itself for international tourism partnerships and investments through ongoing infrastructure development.
Onung urged international tourism operators, investors and destination managers to establish genuine partnerships with African businesses and cultural institutions, rather than treating the continent merely as a destination for sightseeing.
“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 maintained that such partnerships would generate employment, stimulate local businesses, strengthen cultural institutions and improve livelihoods in host communities.
Describing AITEC World as a council rather than a travel agency, Onung said the organisation was established to bridge the gap between African tourism destinations and international markets through strategic collaboration.
He stressed that international visitation alone would not deliver the full economic benefits of tourism without corresponding investments in infrastructure, cultural assets and tourism enterprises.
“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. The world will come to Africa because Africa has what the world no longer has: authentic culture, untapped destinations and natural warmth,” he added.
Onung cited investments in tourism infrastructure in Akwa Ibom, including Arise Park, Ibom Hotels and the state’s road network, as evidence of its readiness to attract international partners.
Using a colourful illustration, he likened Africa’s tourism potential to a hidden Manchester United trophy in a London home, arguing that the continent’s rich cultural and natural attractions remained largely underappreciated despite their immense global appeal.
He said Africa was ready to showcase its tourism assets and welcome international stakeholders to participate in their development.
“Africa is not just inviting the world to visit. Africa is inviting the world to partner, to participate, and to prosper,” he said.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Mr. Ola Awakan, called for greater unity and collaboration among African tourism stakeholders, stressing that collective efforts were essential to building a sustainable cultural tourism economy across national boundaries.
Awakan said the continent needed a strategic approach to promoting its cultural tourism assets and expanding opportunities for cross-border cooperation.
“I believe in the philosophy of togetherness and unity, key ingredients to personal growth and national development. Our industry must adopt a strategic process to sustain the vision of African cultural tourism economy across our borders. I must commend the President of AITEC for this great initiative,” he said.
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), Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, called for concrete action plans to translate Africa’s tourism potential into measurable economic gains.
She warned against relying on elaborate declarations without effective implementation, noting that international stakeholders were closely watching how African countries and tourism operators would transform their cultural assets into viable investment opportunities.
Meanwhile, the President of the National Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Mrs. Bolaji Mustapha, reaffirmed her 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 tourists to Nigeria.
She commended AITEC World President, Mr. Dine Bouraima, for establishing what she described as a continental platform for advancing 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 NATOP for promoting domestic tourism.
However, Awakan called for similar initiatives to incorporate the input and endorsement of the national tourism regulatory authority to strengthen institutional collaboration and ensure greater alignment with national tourism development objectives.
Earlier, Bouraima welcomed participants and called on Africa to take greater ownership of its tourism narrative while positioning its cultural assets more prominently in the global tourism market.
He said the Council’s previous unveiling in Abuja had demonstrated Nigeria’s diplomatic and economic relevance within Africa and the international community.
Bouraima urged African governments, development partners and international donor agencies to support AITEC World’s vision of increasing the visibility of African cultural tourism and creating opportunities for international engagement and investment.
AITEC World is a global council established to connect Africa with international markets through tourism, culture, entertainment and investment partnerships. It seeks to provide a platform for cooperation between African destinations and global stakeholders to promote the continent’s tourism potential.