President Bola Tinubu has brought together African countries to adopt policies that promote environmentally friendly tourism.
The president said the cultural heritage needs to be maintained throughout the continent.
Tinubu called on Wednesday when he declared the 68th meeting of the African Tourism Commission (CAF) in Abuja.
He called for practical solutions and alliances that encourage investment in tourism infrastructure and deepen the role of sectors in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the continent.
He said the target is to ensure that Africa is at the heart of global discourse in terms of how it harnesses the greatest potential of tourism to boost the continent's economy.
The president was represented at the event by his vice president, Vice President Kassim Shettima. Kasim Shettima has declared Nigeria's support for adopting sustainable tourism practices across Africa.
He said Nigeria is encouraging other African countries to promote environmentally friendly tourism and adopt policies that preserve cultural heritage through cooperation with local organizations such as the African Union, ECOWAS and UN tourism.
He said: “This collaboration includes sharing best practices, tourism training, developing joint marketing campaigns for sustainable tourism, and improving infrastructure to support travel within Africa.
“Through these regional initiatives, Africa can promote a continental-wide movement towards tourism that benefits both the people and the environment and promotes Africa's long-term prosperity.”
The president said tourism “exceeds travel or visits or visits to historic places, waterfalls, mountains and parks.”
“The advent of technology and creativity has changed tourism and its opportunities, so it is appropriate for this conference to highlight the impact of AI, innovation and creative industries on the tourism sector,” he added.
