The economic community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched a regional tourism capacity building programme in Banjul, Gambia, with the aim of enhancing cooperation and investment across the 12 member countries. The initiative, approved by Dr. Omar Alieu Touray of the ECOWAS Committee, is seeking to strengthen tourism standards, promote mobility and promote job creation as part of the region's broader economic integration strategy. The program is being implemented under the leadership of the Economic Agriculture and Agriculture Commissioners.
During the opening session, Dr. Tony Elumelu, ECOWAS Director for the private sector, highlighted the need for a harmonious approach to tourism development, including the ECOTOR 1929 policy, which sets common services and hospitality standards across the region. The program includes hotel classification, regulatory frameworks, technical workshops on sustainable tourism management, policy discussions and practical training focusing on youth and women's employment. Participants will define specific action points and monitoring mechanisms to ensure long-term implementation and, in collaboration with ECOWAS Vision 2050, position tourism as a key pillar of sustainable growth and regional cooperation.
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Source: APO Group
