The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and Africa Tourism Partners (ATP) will launch the inaugural Forum on Tourism, Creatives, and Cultural Industries in Gaborone, Botswana, on October 4–6, 2023.
The forum will take place during the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum & Awards, which will also feature a tourism entrepreneurship masterclass, an intra-Africa travel and tourism road show and exhibition, a destination showcase, and presentations from all participating African member states.
The forum aims to harness the value of Africa’s creative and cultural assets to stimulate demand for intra-African travel. It will also highlight and harness emerging trade opportunities with regards to intra-African travel and tourism investment sectors.
The forum will be attended by over 500 physical delegates, including the media and hosted buyers from across the globe. It will be led by renowned global experts, ministers, CEOs, business executives, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academics, researchers, practitioners, and DMCs.
The objective of the forum is to use the AfCFTA to create a single continental market for the free movement of goods, services, and investments. It is also an opportunity to showcase the African tourism sector to a wide spectrum of global participants.
The forum is part of a growing trend of creative tourism, which reflects the growing integration between tourism and different placemaking strategies, including promotion of the creative industries.
Botswana is a fitting host for the forum, as it is one of the prime wildlife safari destinations in Africa and one of the most stable countries in Africa. It is also ranked as one of the safest countries to visit in the world.
