The 16th edition of the Magical Kenya Travel Expo (MKTE) is scheduled from October 6 to 8, 2026, at the Uhuru Gardens National Monument and Museum in Nairobi, Kenya. Akwaaba African Travel Market, a prominent West African travel exhibition, will participate again as an exhibitor following its debut at MKTE in 2025.
Akwaaba’s Role and Reach in African Tourism
Based in Lagos, Nigeria, Akwaaba African Travel Market has promoted intra-African tourism for over 22 years. The event connects African tour operators, hospitality providers, aviation, and travel professionals to promote African travel primarily among Africans themselves. Akwaaba attracts over 3,000 tourism professionals from more than 20 African countries
during its annual exhibitions.
Akwaaba has maintained a steady presence at major international travel fairs including the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, EMITT in Istanbul, ITB Berlin, and regional African expos such as Uganda’s Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo, Kilifair in Tanzania, Zimbabwe’s Sanganai, and South Africa’s Travel Indaba.
Awards, Notable Attendees, and Related Initiatives
In 2022, Akwaaba African Travel Market received an Award of Excellence from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation and the Nigerian Ministry of Tourism. The exhibition has attracted prominent political figures including Nigerian Presidents Bola Tinubu and Olusegun Obasanjo, as well as former Gambian President Dawda Jawara.
Beyond its travel
market, Akwaaba hosts several tourism-related events such as the Africa Travel 100 Awards, the African Medical Tourism Expo, and the West African Jollof Rice War.
2026 MKTE Theme and Future Plans for Akwaaba
The 2026 Magical Kenya Travel Expo focuses on the theme “Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence: Shaping the future of Tourism.” This theme reflects the expo’s emphasis on integrating technology to enhance tourism development across East Africa and beyond.
Akwaaba’s return to MKTE is expected to reinforce its role in fostering business partnerships and boosting intra-African travel. The organisers described the exhibition as a key platform for connecting African tourism professionals: “Akwaaba, targeted mainly at Africans
promoting Africa to Africans, has successfully opened up intra-African travel connecting Africans to each other.”
The next Akwaaba African Travel Market exhibition is planned for Lagos from September 5 to 7, 2027, marking the event’s 23rd edition.
