In eight days, I had the honour of travelling across eight extraordinary countries—Namibia, Zambia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Ghana, Ethiopia and Nigeria. Each one taught me something vital not just about tourism, but about transformation. Every conversation, every connection, every challenge, also offered a powerful, unifying message.
Africa is not waiting to be included in the future of tourism. It is the future.
Too often, the continent has been seen through a narrow lens of safaris, struggle, and charity. But the Africa I experienced first-hand is young, bold, visionary, and unapologetically leading. From Kigali’s peacebuilding power to Lagos’s creative pulse, from coastal resilience in Mozambique to tourism equity in Namibia, Africa is setting the agenda and not following it.
Here are my eight key learnings from eight countries in eight days:
🇳🇦 Namibia: Inclusion Isn’t Optional. It’s the Only Way Forward.
What stood out most in Namibia was not just the vision, but the willingness to listen, exchange, and co-create.
Tourism must be for everyone – especially for youth, women, and historically disadvantaged communities. That’s why I proposed the Inclusive Tourism Investment & Funding Strategy: a bold initiative to shift capital and visibility toward those excluded from mainstream tourism and unlock Namibia’s leadership in inclusive entrepreneurship.
🇿🇲 Zambia: Equip the Youth or Risk Losing the Future.
Zambia reinforced a powerful truth. Africa is the youngest continent, but without investment in skills, that demographic advantage could become a liability.
With MISSION 100, I proposed a campaign to train 1 million African youth in tourism, hospitality, and digital innovation.
Zambia’s environmental leadership also calls for aligning tourism with climate-smart, regenerative strategies.
🇷🇼 Rwanda: Tourism Can Be a Force for Peace.
Rwanda is not just a success story it is also a symbol of what is possible when nations choose healing over hate.
I proposed UN Tourism Peace Routes—global travel pathways that turn sites of conflict into journeys of remembrance, reconciliation, and transformation.
Rwanda is ready to lead this moral movement where tourism becomes a vehicle for unity.
🇹🇿 Tanzania: The Lesson is Clear—Choose Value Over Volume.
As destinations like Tanzania scale rapidly, the risk of overtourism is real. The answer? Premium, purposeful growth.
Tanzania’s long-term value lies not in how many visitors it attracts, but in the legacy they leave behind.
UN Tourism must support bespoke strategies that prioritise quality, sustainability, and community prosperity.
🇲🇿 Mozambique: Blue Tourism Is Africa’s Untapped Gold.
From coral reefs to sailing circuits, Mozambique reminded us of the immense promise of the Blue Economy.
I proposed an ocean-smart initiative that builds eco-marine tourism, empowers coastal communities, and aligns marine preservation with job creation.
Tourism and conservation are not enemies – they are partners.
🇪🇹 Ethiopia: No African Agenda Without the African Union.
In Addis Ababa, my discussions with H.E. Moses Vilakati, Commissioner of the African Union, reaffirmed one thing: strategic alignment with the AU is non-negotiable.
Africa must not be treated as a market to be served but a powerhouse to partner with.
As Secretary-General, I will pursue a formal UN Tourism–African Union Partnership Framework to coordinate priorities and co-create results.
🇳🇬 Nigeria: Without Safety, There Can Be No Tourism.
Nigeria has ambition, scale, and culture. But it also faces challenges in perception, risk governance, and security.
My proposed Tourism Security & Risk Governance Framework is a direct response—because safety is not just a prerequisite, it’s a competitive advantage.
UN Tourism must become a trusted partner not just in promotion, but in protection.
🇬🇭 Ghana: The Future Belongs to the Diversifiers.
Ghana is already doing the hard work – infrastructure, identity, innovation. But to win in tomorrow’s tourism economy, we must go further.
That’s why I proposed the Tourism Diversification Booster a flexible, high-impact support service to help countries expand beyond traditional products and stand out in a competitive global market. The world is shifting. The destinations that diversify fastest will lead. Ghana is ready.
Designing With, Not For, Africa
This journey was not a campaign tour. It was a commitment tour. A commitment to listen deeply, engage meaningfully, and design with Africa not for it.
If there’s one lesson from these eight days, it’s this: Africa is not a problem to be solved. It’s a force to be reckoned with.
If elected as Secretary-General, my vision is clear:
- Rebrand Africa from passive participant to global leader in innovation, creativity, and sustainability
- Break borders through intra-African connectivity and visa liberalisation
- Invest in the next generation—funding startups, building skills, amplifying youth voices
- Embed resilience in everything we do—from climate-smart practices to tourism security frameworks.
Africa is not an emerging story. It is an urgent story. It’s not a promise for tomorrow. It’s a priority for today.
Let’s place Africa where it belongs – at the centre of global tourism.
