Tourism Recovery: Accra Weizo returns after a 3-year hiatus

Accra Weizo, a travel expo that seeks to grow seamless travel in West Africa has returned for its sixth edition. Billed to hold on May 26, 2023, in Accra, Ghana, the event is making a comeback after three-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organised by Akwaaba African Travel Market in partnership with Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), the expo is targeted at encouraging West Africans, which is the biggest region in Africa with over 400 million people rich in culture and tourist attractions, to travel within the region.

Research has shown that West Africa receives the least number of tourists, yet the countries in this part of the continent generate the highest number of outbound travellers in Africa. This is why Accra Weizo aims to create a seamless travel environment that makes West Africa an open domestic market, with opportunities that can be harnessed.

Over the years, the event has stimulated inspiring discussions on how to liberalise movement within the African borders, especially West Africa, to promote travel across borders, viz-a-viz easing business transactions and movement of people.

Accra Weizo has become one of the biggest travel events in Ghana having in attendance the Minister of Tourism, Director General of Tourism Agencies and prominent drivers of travel and tourism in Africa.

The sixth edition of Accra Weizo would feature selected experts and stakeholders in the tourism, travel and allied business sector to identify, deliberate and proffer solutions to some of the barriers of seamless travel in West Africa.

Past editions of Accra Weizo had in attendance a number of VIPs including His Royal Highness, Nene Nagai Kassa VIII, Honourable Mike A. Gizo, Chief of Agomeda, and President of Shai Traditional; members of the diplomatic Corps in Ghana which included High commissioners and Ambassadors, among whom are Lulu Xingwana, High Commissioner, South African High Commission in Accra – Ghana; Mr. Thomas Okyere, the Honorary Consul, Botswana Honorary Consulate in Accra – Ghana; Ambassador Pavelyn Tendai Musaka, Zimbabwe Embassy in Accra – Ghana and Mwansa S. Rowland, Deputy High Commissioner for Zambia High Commission in Accra-Ghana. The Namibian Ambassador and the Nigerian High Commissioner were also in attendance.

In 2017, it hosted the awards for ‘Top 100 Tourism personalities in West Africa’. At the 2018 edition it hosted the ‘Top 100 Hotels in West Africa’. Past winners include: Carnival Calabar – Tourism Event of the Year, Hon. Catherine Afeku – Tourism Minister of the Year, Captain Ado – Aviation Man of the Year, Mrs. Uloma Egbuna, MD Tour Brokers International – Tourism Man of the Year, and Hon Cecilia Dappah – Aviation Minister of the Year, among others.

The 2023 winners will be selected through a vetting process that includes a public vote that will end by April 2023. Major highlights of the 6th Accra Weizo Travel event include Conference, B2B, Fam Trip, Exhibition, Balafon Award. Balafo awards of Excellence, is an Award organised to recognise pioneers and best players in the industry for the ECOWAS region. The organiser in partnership with Ghana Tourism Authority would host delegates coming from nations in the West, South and Eastern part of Africa at a two-day familiarisation tour, which commences from the 23rd to the 25th of May.

The 6th Accra Weizo promises to be super exciting as participants taking part in the tour will be visiting some of the fascinating sites and experiencing nightlife in Ghana. Opened to all African Tour Operators, the event offers an opportunity to meet and network with the leading Tourism Personalities in West Africa.