Mrs. Maame Efua Houadjeto, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority [GTA], has formally accepted her appointment as Vice Chair of the African Travel Commission [ATC], reaffirming Ghana's commitment to advancing tourism integration and sustainable development across Africa.

Her acceptance came during a high-level strategic meeting with the leadership of the African Travel Commission on the sidelines of the 2026 Hotel Managers Conference [HMC], held from July 11–12, 2026, at the Lagos Continental Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria.

The meeting was attended by Mr. Olayiwola Awakan, Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority [NTDA] and Chairman of the African Travel Commission; Dr. Lucky Onoriode George, Executive Director of the ATC; and Prof. Wasiu Babalola, a member of the Commission's Board.

Expressing her appreciation for the confidence reposed in her, Mrs. Houadjeto described the appointment as both an honour and a significant responsibility. She pledged to work diligently with the Commission's leadership and tourism stakeholders across the continent to promote greater collaboration, strengthen regional partnerships, and advance Africa's tourism agenda.

She observed that Ghana occupies a unique place in Africa's tourism history as the host nation of the continent's oldest travel and tourism organisation, the African Travel Commission. According to her, this historic legacy places a responsibility on Ghana to continue providing leadership in fostering regional integration, cooperation, and sustainable tourism development.

Accepting the Vice Chairmanship, Mrs. Houadjeto said she would work to bridge gaps between West Africa and other regions of the continent while encouraging stronger collaboration among African nations to unlock the continent's immense tourism potential. She noted that increased cooperation would stimulate intra-African travel, attract greater investment, create employment opportunities, and support sustainable economic growth through tourism.

Speaking during the meeting, Mr. Olayiwola Awakan, Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority and Chairman of the African Travel Commission, commended the Ghana Tourism Authority Chief Executive for accepting the appointment. He described her acceptance as a significant boost to the Commission's continental vision, noting that greater cooperation among African countries remains essential to building a stronger and more competitive tourism industry.

"Ghana has always played an important role in African tourism, and I am confident that with Mrs. Houadjeto serving as Vice Chair, the Commission will benefit immensely from her experience and leadership. Ghana, West Africa, and indeed the entire continent stand to gain when we work together towards common goals," he said.

Also speaking, Dr. Lucky Onoriode George, Executive Director of the African Travel Commission, described Mrs. Houadjeto's acceptance as a major milestone in the ongoing revitalisation of the Commission and a reaffirmation of Ghana's historic leadership role as one of the founding members of the ATC.

He noted that Ghana's active participation in the Commission's leadership would strengthen ATC's vision of building a more united, competitive, and globally respected African tourism industry.

Dr. George further stated that the Commission remains committed to deepening collaboration among governments, the private sector, development partners, and tourism stakeholders to accelerate tourism growth, improve air connectivity, promote research and innovation, attract investment, and position Africa as one of the world's leading tourism destinations.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to advancing a common continental tourism agenda through strategic partnerships, regional integration, and sustainable development initiatives. Participants expressed confidence that Ghana's leadership within the African Travel Commission would further strengthen the organisation's efforts to drive inclusive and sustainable tourism growth across Africa.

Source: African Travel Commission [ATC] Press Unit