West Africa
West African travel expo to boost tourism

afrol News, 18 October - As the first annual West African Travel Show (WATS) successfully has been held in Lagos, Nigeria, officials hope to compete with similar international exhibitions. The rich tourism potentials of the subcontinent finally are going to be thoroughly promoted.

Nigeria's First Lady, Mrs. Stella Obasanjo states that the hosting of the first West African Travel show (WATS) "will create the necessary platform for tourism operators in the West African Sub-region to exhibit their rich potentials as well as promote investment opportunities."

Speaking at the opening of WATS, which took place in Lagos 8-10 October, Mrs Obasanjo also expressed delight that the occasion would promote and re-position tourism and highlight its socio-economic potentials in Nigeria and the West African sub-region.

She said the main objective, which among others is aimed at moving the tourism industry to greater heights would make the event a yearly event for stock taking. The first lady also noted that the fiesta would compete favourably with the INDABA in South Africa, the ITB in Berlin, the WTM in London and other similar international exhibitions.

She expressed appreciation over the commitment shown by the Federal Ministry of culture and tourism in developing the tourism sub-sector of the economy. Tourism, the first lady explained, is hospitality business, which is fast becoming a major and part of the global economy, thus generating more money than oil and the solid mineral sub-sectors.

Mrs Obasanjo further said that there is no doubt the international attention is now focused on achieving sustainable tourism development through the conservation of the ecosystem as the World Tourism Organisation chose to mark this year's world Tourism Day with a symbolic planting of trees.

She also pledged to assist in the preservation of Nigeria's natural environment, adding that it is her aspiration to help make Nigeria a tourist destination with global appeal. Nigeria, she added, "is blessed with exotic beaches, lush tropical forests, spectacular land forms and waterfalls, an assortment of indigenous cultures, flamboyant fashion and good food."

The Nigerian first lady urged service providers in the tourism industry in the country to devise effective strategies for promoting their services and products.

The regional WATS event aims at promoting tourism in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. The show is fostering business relations between West Africa, and key players in the tourism industry in the rest of Africa and Europe, as well as stimulating information flow about travel opportunities and destinations within Africa and abroad - according to the organisers.

Mrs Omotayo Omotosho, leader of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) which organised the first WATS, has underlined the economic importance of the tourism industry world-wide. "Its growth in Nigeria has been stunted by persistent military intervention," she admitted, "but now with the ushering of a democratic administration, we are committed to joining the committee of nations in the area of tourism development." 

Sources: Based on Nigerian govt, press reports and afrol archives

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