The Black Travel Summit 2027 will be held in Cotonou, Benin, marking the first time the event takes place in Africa. The announcement was made on October 17, 2026, during the Black Travel Awards Gala in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The summit is organized in partnership with Benin Tourism and aims to foster international exchange and business collaboration within the global Black travel community.
History and Partnership Leads to Benin Hosting
Founded in the United States by Anita Moreau in 2019, the Black Travel Summit was previously held in Rio de Janeiro in 2025 and Milwaukee in 2026. The selection of Benin as the 2027 host followed initial discussions
between Benin Tourism and the summit organizers during the 2025 event in Rio de Janeiro. This marks a significant development as the summit expands its geographic reach to Africa.
Goals and Industry Context of the 2027 Summit
The 2027 summit intends to strengthen connections between the African continent and the global Black diaspora. It will focus on creating cross-border partnerships and opportunities for market development among stakeholders in the Black travel sector. Research by the Black Travel Alliance and MMGY Travel Intelligence reported that Black American leisure travelers took 184.12 million trips in 2023, generating an estimated US$145 billion in spending. These figures underline the economic impact of
the Black travel market that the summit seeks to engage further.
