The African Travel Commission (ATC) will hold its 2027 Annual Tourism Summit in Lagos, Nigeria. The two-day event is scheduled for March 16 to 17, 2027, and will take place at Eko Hotel & Suites.
Summit Themes and Participants
The summit will focus on four main thematic pillars: Collaboration, Connectivity, Affordability, and Cross-Border Movement. Attendees will include chief executives from tourism authorities, representatives from development institutions, private-sector leaders, investors, airlines, hospitality operators, travel and tour companies, destination management organizations, and media professionals from across Africa and beyond.
Context and Goals Following 2026 Inaugural Summit
The 2027 summit builds on the inaugural ATC Pan-African Tourism Summit and Exhibition held in Lagos in
2026. While the 2026 edition focused on strategies to boost Africa’s tourism growth and competitiveness, the 2027 event aims to move beyond policy dialogue to create concrete partnerships, initiatives, and measurable results.
Addressing Core Challenges in African Tourism
The summit intends to target persistent challenges affecting African tourism, such as elevated travel costs, restricted air connectivity, complex visa regimes, underdeveloped tourism infrastructure, fragmented destination marketing, and limited investment. Discussions will explore practical solutions to increase accessibility by reducing airfare and accommodation prices, improving transport reliability, and streamlining border procedures.
Nigeria’s Role as Host and Tourism Hub
Nigeria’s position as the host nation reinforces its status as a key tourism and economic center in
Africa. Its rich cultural heritage, expanding creative industries, robust hospitality sector, potential for business tourism, and sizeable domestic market contribute to positioning Lagos as a strategic gateway for tourism and investment within West Africa and across the continent.
Summit Program and ATC Strategic Objectives
The program will include high-level policy discussions, expert sessions, business networking, investment opportunities, and tourism industry engagements. Destinations and companies will present their products and services. According to the African Travel Commission, collaboration among governments, tourism authorities, airlines, hotels, tour operators, financial institutions, and development partners is vital for fostering joint tourism initiatives. The ATC also emphasized the importance of reliable and
affordable transport in expanding intra-African tourism. The summit aims to promote tourism investment, strengthen regional connectivity, and deliver actionable outcomes to enhance the development of Africa’s tourism industry.
