The African Travel Commission (ATC) will hold its 2027 Tourism Summit in Lagos, Nigeria, from March 16 to 17 at the Eko Hotel & Suites. The event will run for two days and convene stakeholders from across the African continent.
Summit Scope and Participants
This summit will gather chief executives of tourism authorities, development institutions, private sector leaders, investors, airlines, hospitality firms, travel and tour operators, destination management organizations, media representatives, and other tourism industry participants. It follows the inaugural ATC Pan-African Tourism Summit and Exhibition hosted in Lagos in 2026.
The 2027 event aims to advance discussions and initiatives from the 2026 summit
to further accelerate Africa’s tourism growth and integration.
Key Pillars for Tourism Development
The summit’s program is structured around four main pillars: Collaboration, Connectivity, Affordability, and Cross-Border Movement. The ATC identifies these as essential for unlocking Africa’s tourism potential and fostering a more competitive continental tourism economy.
Collaboration will seek to enhance joint efforts among governments, tourism authorities, private sector players, airlines, and development institutions. Connectivity will focus on improving both air and ground transport links within Africa to expand intra-continental travel.
Affordability discussions will address the high costs associated with travel in Africa, including airfare and accommodation expenses. The pillar of Cross-Border Movement will
examine visa requirements, border procedures, and regulations that currently restrict tourist and business mobility across African countries.
Challenges Addressed by the Summit
The summit intends to tackle persistent issues in African tourism, such as expensive travel costs, limited air connectivity, and restrictive visa regimes. Additional challenges include inadequate tourism infrastructure, fragmented destination marketing, and insufficient investment across the tourism sector.
Practical measures will be proposed to enhance accessibility for both African and international travelers, reduce travel costs, and ease cross-border travel impediments.
Objectives and Outcomes
The ATC plans for the summit to facilitate high-level policy dialogue, expert-led sessions, business networking, and investment discussions. Destinations and businesses will have
platforms to showcase their tourism products and services.
The commission aims to transition from policy dialogue to concrete partnerships, initiatives, and commitments designed to deliver measurable improvements in the African tourism industry. It will work alongside continental and international partners to ensure that the summit’s program yields practical and sustainable outcomes.
Nigeria’s Strategic Role as Host
Nigeria’s role as host highlights its position as a major tourism and economic hub in Africa. The country’s cultural heritage, creative industries, hospitality sector, business tourism prospects, and sizable domestic market position it as a gateway for tourism and investment in West Africa and the broader continent.
Hosting the
event at Lagos’ Eko Hotel & Suites places the summit in a central location of West Africa’s largest economy, underlining Nigeria’s importance in regional tourism development efforts.
