The 22nd edition of the Akwaaba African Travel Market will take place in Lagos from 13 to 15 September 2026 and will host the second edition of the African Tour Operators’ Summit focused on developing travel opportunities linked to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
AFCON 2027 will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The summit aims to bring together tour operators from East and West Africa to explore ways of leveraging Africa’s largest football tournament to boost intra-continental tourism.
Summit Objectives and Activities
The African Tour Operators’ Summit will offer a platform for African tour operators to engage in business-to-business
meetings, networking sessions, and collaborative discussions. Its goal is to foster partnerships that generate joint travel packages for AFCON 2027 supporters visiting East Africa’s tourism hotspots.
The summit is designed to strengthen cooperation between West Africa’s football-centric tourism markets and East Africa’s established tourism destinations, creating integrated offerings for visitors interested in sports and leisure travel during the tournament.
Africa Travel 100 Awards
During the summit, the Africa Travel 100 Awards will be presented on 14 September 2026. These awards recognize African tour operators who have made significant contributions to promoting African destinations and encouraging intra-African travel.
Referred to as the “Africans for Africa
Awards,” the initiative emphasizes support for tourism enterprises fostering travel within the continent.
Akwaaba Market Profile and Participation
Akwaaba African Travel Market is the largest travel and tourism exhibition in West Africa and ranks among the top five travel trade fairs across Africa. The event has earned an Award of Excellence in Tourism from the Nigerian Government and the United Nations World Tourism Organization in 2022.
The annual exhibition attracts buyers, exhibitors, and stakeholders from over 20 countries, including The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Seychelles, Ethiopia, South Africa, Egypt, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
Side Events at Akwaaba 2026
Akwaaba 2026 will feature a range of side
events such as the Africa Food Fair, African Medical Tourism Forum, African Tourism Conference, Destination Wedding showcase, African Youth Tourism Bantaba, Travel Technology forum, and CHINET Aviacargo trade discussions. These parallel events broaden the market’s scope beyond the summit’s sports tourism focus.
The exhibition supports inbound and outbound tourism in Africa by promoting sectors including aviation, hospitality, and travel-related businesses.
Integrating Sports and Tourism through AFCON
The 2027 AFCON tournament offers a strategic opportunity to integrate sports tourism with cross-border travel promotion. West Africa, historically Africa’s football powerhouse with the highest number of qualifiers, and East Africa, known for its premier tourism destinations, are converging to
create tourism products targeting football fans and general visitors.
The African Tour Operators’ Summit aims to enhance collaboration between these regions to capitalize on the continental football event for sustainable tourism growth.
