Africa’s tourism future will take center stage in Lagos when the African Travel Commission (ATC) hosts a landmark Pan-African Tourism Summit and Exhibition on February 11–12, 2026, at Eko Hotel & Suites.

The high-level continental gathering comes at a pivotal political and economic moment, as African governments grapple with how to translate continental frameworks such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), visa liberalization, and the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) into real economic gains for citizens, businesses, and travelers.

Organized by the African Travel Commission in collaboration with the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)—with strategic partnership support from the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)—the summit is expected to attract policymakers, investors, development partners, and industry leaders from across Africa and beyond.

Despite Africa’s extraordinary cultural diversity, natural assets, and youthful population, tourism remains one of the continent’s most underperforming economic sectors. Analysts consistently point to policy fragmentation, restrictive visa regimes, weak air connectivity, and underinvestment in infrastructure as major barriers preventing tourism from reaching its full potential.

The ATC Summit is designed to move beyond rhetoric, placing political will and implementation at the center of the conversation. Discussions will directly address how tourism can become a practical delivery mechanism for AfCFTA, supporting trade in services, labor mobility, SME growth, and regional value chains.

A key focus will be visa liberalization, long recognized as one of the fastest and lowest-cost ways to stimulate intra-African travel. While initiatives such as the African Union’s Visa Openness Index and regional free-movement protocols exist, implementation remains uneven. The summit will examine how political leadership, security coordination, and digital visa systems can accelerate progress without compromising national interests.

Another central issue is air connectivity. Although Africa committed to SAATM (Open Skies) to liberalize air transport, protectionism, limited route rights, and high airport and fuel costs continue to restrict movement across the continent. Tourism leaders argue that without affordable and reliable intra-African air travel, the promise of AfCFTA and regional tourism integration will remain largely theoretical.

Speaking ahead of the event, ATC Executive Director Dr. Lucky Onoriode George said Africa must stop treating tourism as a peripheral leisure activity and recognize it as a core economic and political sector.

“Tourism is trade. Tourism is infrastructure. Tourism is employment,” George said. “If AfCFTA is to succeed beyond manufacturing and commodities, tourism must be part of its implementation strategy.”

George added that the collaboration between ATC, NTDA, ECOWAS, and AfDB reflects growing recognition that tourism development requires aligned policies, cross-border cooperation, and access to long-term development finance.

As host partner, the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority is expected to showcase Nigeria’s renewed tourism vision, positioning tourism as part of broader national diversification efforts beyond oil. Hosting the summit also reinforces Lagos’ role as a gateway city, regional aviation hub, and cultural and business capital of West Africa.

ECOWAS’ involvement places particular emphasis on regional mobility, harmonized travel policies, and cross-border tourism circuits within West Africa—an area where free-movement protocols exist but are still unevenly applied in practice.

The African Development Bank Group’s strategic partnership brings investment credibility to the table, reinforcing the need for bankable tourism projects, destination infrastructure financing, and public–private partnership models that align with climate resilience and sustainable development goals.

Held under the theme “Accelerating Africa’s Tourism Growth through Innovation, Partnerships and Sustainable Investments,” the summit will focus on tourism policy harmonization; regulatory reform; financing destinations and infrastructure; public–private partnerships; digital transformation and destination marketing; climate-smart and community-driven tourism; and youth entrepreneurship and SME participation in tourism value chains.

An exhibition running alongside the summit will allow African destinations, tourism boards, airlines, hospitality brands, travel technology companies, and cultural institutions to showcase products, services, and investment-ready projects.

ATC said the summit comes at a critical moment as shifting global travel patterns, growing interest in experiential and diaspora tourism, and rising intra-African travel present an opportunity for Africa to reposition itself—not as 54 competing destinations, but as a connected continental tourism economy.

“The future of African tourism lies in collaboration, not competition,” the commission said, emphasizing that the Lagos summit will provide a platform for African countries to speak with one voice, attract serious investment, and safeguard the interests of travelers and host communities.

Beyond dialogue, the ATC Tourism Summit and Exhibition is expected to deliver concrete outcomes, including policy recommendations, investment commitments, partnership frameworks, and implementation roadmaps to guide tourism development across regions.

For Lagos and Nigeria, the event strengthens the country’s role in shaping continental debates on tourism, trade, and mobility. For Africa, it marks another step toward aligning tourism with AfCFTA, Open Skies, and visa reform—turning political ambition into economic impact.

As Africa searches for sustainable growth pathways, all eyes will turn to Lagos in February 2026—where tourism, policy, and investment will converge to shape the continent’s next chapter.