The African Travel Commission [ATC] has announced that Nigeria will once again host the 2027 Annual African Travel Commission [ATC] Tourism Summit, scheduled to take place from March 16–17, 2027 at Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos, Nigeria.

The two-day continental tourism gathering will bring together chief executive officers of tourism authorities, development institutions, private-sector leaders, investors, airlines, hospitality companies, travel and tour operators, destination management organisations, the media and other tourism stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.

The 2027 Summit follows the successful inaugural ATC Pan-African Tourism Summit and Exhibition, held in Lagos in 2026, which examined practical strategies for accelerating the growth, integration and competitiveness of Africa’s tourism industry.

Building on the 2026 Summit

The 2027 edition will build on the theme and outcomes of the 2026 Summit, with particular emphasis on four critical pillars: Collaboration, Connectivity, Affordability and Cross-Border Movement.

The ATC considers these four areas fundamental to unlocking the full potential of African tourism and creating a more integrated and competitive continental tourism economy.

Collaboration will remain at the heart of the Summit, encouraging governments, tourism authorities, the private sector, airlines, development institutions and other stakeholders to work together on common solutions and joint tourism initiatives.

Connectivity will focus particularly on improving air and ground transportation links between African destinations. The ATC recognises that reliable and affordable connectivity is essential to expanding intra-African tourism.

Affordability will address the high cost of travelling within Africa, including airfares, accommodation and other travel-related services. The Summit will explore practical measures to make African destinations more accessible to African travellers and international visitors.

Cross-Border Movement will address barriers that restrict the movement of tourists and tourism businesses across African borders, including visa requirements, border procedures and other policies that can either facilitate or hinder travel across the continent.

Together, these four pillars will provide a practical framework for advancing the ATC’s objective of making it easier, more affordable and more attractive for Africans to travel within Africa.

The 2027 Summit comes at a critical time as African countries seek to increase tourism’s contribution to economic development, employment creation, foreign exchange earnings and regional integration.

Despite the continent’s enormous natural and cultural assets, Africa continues to face challenges including high travel costs, limited air connectivity, restrictive visa regimes, inadequate tourism infrastructure, fragmented destination marketing and insufficient investment.

The Summit will provide a high-level platform for governments and the private sector to examine practical and sustainable solutions to these challenges.

A major focus will be the promotion of intra-African travel and tourism. Increasing the movement of African travellers within the continent can expand tourism markets, support airlines and hospitality businesses, stimulate investment and create opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises across the tourism value chain.

The ATC will promote greater collaboration among tourism authorities, airlines, hotels, tour operators, travel technology companies, financial institutions and development partners.

Tourism investment and regional connectivity will also remain important areas of discussion, with the Commission encouraging governments and development partners to prioritise tourism infrastructure and create a more favourable environment for private-sector investment.

Nigeria’s hosting of the 2027 Summit reinforces its position as an important tourism and economic hub in Africa.

With its diverse cultural heritage, creative industries, hospitality sector, business tourism potential and large domestic market, Nigeria has considerable potential to serve as a gateway for tourism and investment across West Africa and the wider continent.

Hosting the Summit at Eko Hotel & Suites, Lagos, one of Nigeria’s leading hospitality and conference venues, will provide an appropriate setting for high-level policy discussions, business networking, tourism exhibitions and stakeholder engagements.

The event will also provide an opportunity to showcase Nigeria’s tourism destinations, products, hospitality facilities and investment opportunities to an international audience.

The African Travel Commission is inviting African governments, tourism ministries and authorities, airlines, hotels, travel companies, tour operators, investors, financial institutions, development agencies, technology companies, destination organisations, academia and the media to participate in the 2027 Summit.

The programme will feature high-level policy discussions, expert sessions, business networking, investment opportunities and tourism industry engagements, alongside opportunities for destinations and businesses to promote their products and services.

The ATC will work with its continental and international partners in developing the programme and ensuring that the Summit produces practical outcomes that can support

The 2027 Summit will build on the momentum generated by the inaugural ATC Tourism Summit and Exhibition and its call for greater cooperation among African countries and stronger action to remove barriers to tourism development.

By advancing Collaboration, Connectivity, Affordability and Cross-Border Movement, the 2027 Summit will seek to move the conversation from policy dialogue to concrete partnerships, initiatives and commitments capable of delivering measurable improvements in African tourism.

These priorities will also enable the African Travel Commission to further advance its core objectives of marketing, research and advocacy for the development of African tourism.

Through marketing, the ATC will continue to promote African destinations, products and experiences, encourage greater intra-African travel and position Africa more strongly in the global tourism marketplace.

Through research, the Commission will continue to generate and promote knowledge, data and evidence on African tourism trends, opportunities, challenges and emerging markets, providing a stronger basis for policy and investment decisions.

Through advocacy, the ATC will continue to engage governments, regional and continental institutions, the private sector and other stakeholders on policies that can facilitate travel, improve connectivity, reduce tourism costs, strengthen cross-border movement and create a more integrated African tourism market.

The 2027 Summit will therefore serve not only as a platform for dialogue, but also as an instrument for advancing the ATC’s broader mission of promoting intra-African travel, strengthening tourism cooperation and positioning Africa as a competitive and sustainable global tourism destination.

Further details concerning the programme, speakers, registration, exhibition opportunities, sponsorship and partnership packages will be announced by the African Travel Commission in due course.

Source: African Travel Commission [ATC] Media Unit.