By Kebba A.F. Touray
A five-day intra-regional tourism forum, organized by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), opened on Monday, March 17, 2025, in The Gambia.
The forum’s primary objective is to strengthen the capacity of tourism officials and regulators on the ECOTOUR 19-29 strategy, which promotes intra-regional tourism within ECOWAS countries.
The event seeks to provide a comprehensive understanding of policies, standards, and practices that shape the tourism industry across West Africa. Sheikh Tejan Nyang, Head of the Institute of Travel and Tourism of The Gambia (ITTOG), emphasized the importance of building capacity in hotel classification, which he considers essential for developing the tourism sector in any country. He highlighted the policy formulated by ECOWAS, which many member countries are unfamiliar with, and expressed optimism that the forum would deepen participants’ understanding of ECOWAS’ initiatives in tourism development.
Dr. Tony Luka Elumelu, Director of the Private Sector at ECOWAS, underscored the critical role of tourism in ECOWAS’s integration agenda, recognizing The Gambia for its achievements in the sector. He discussed ECOWAS’s adoption of legal instruments to enhance the tourism sector and highlighted the importance of harmonizing tourism processes across the region. He also mentioned the ECOTOUR policy, which aims to ensure consistent standards across tourism facilities within the region.
Dr. Elumelu acknowledged challenges like connectivity within the sector and noted that the expertise shared at the forum would help address these issues. He also commended The Gambia for implementing the ECOWAS National Biometric ID Card to enhance mobility across member states.
The expected outcomes from the forum include improved adherence to ECOWAS tourism regulations, enhanced cooperation among member states, and strengthened capacity to implement the ECOTOUR 19-29 Action Plan. The forum is set to play a crucial role in fostering regional tourism growth and ensuring sustainability across West Africa.
