The Africa Free Continental Trade Area (AfCFTA) has endorsed the Africa Tourism Private Sector Alliance (ATPSA). This took place during the 6th ATLF hosted by the Government of Botswana in October 2023 in Gaborone, Botswana.
The endorsement was witnessed by over 600 industry stakeholders, policy-makers, private sector executives, academics and investors who had gathered in Gaborone,Botswana for the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum & Awards 2023 that was held from 03 to 06 October.
AfCFTA’s endorsement now affirms the Africa Tourism Private Sector Alliance (ATPSA) as the only Pan-African apex body and platform for national tourism private sector associations and organisations for African Union Member states. Birthed on the margins of ATLF 2022 in Botswana, the ATPSA will serve as a single voice and platform for positioning Tourism as priority sector across all African countries.
The primary role of the body is to advocate for the removal of barriers to intra-Africa travel such as visa-free travel for Africans within Africa, improved connectivity within African countries, reduced cost of air travel across Africa, promotion of Africa under the “Brand Africa” banner in collaboration with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Other key priority focus areas of the Alliance are research, creation of market access for SMEs through destination marketing, capacity building and learning, best practice and knowledge sharing, Thought-leadership development, sustainable tourism development more.
Championed by AfCFTA, ATPSA is positioned to promote sustainable tourism development, improved intra-Africa travel facilitation, strengthen sector competitiveness and youth and women inclusivity.
The interim Secretariat of the alliance is hosted by Society for Aids in Africa (SAA), Accra Ghana and supported by Kenya Tourism Federation Offices in Nairobi, Kenya. The ATPSA secretariat therefore takes this opportunity to invite all tourism and related industries’ private sector organisations across Africa to join the ATPSA. The Alliance’s work plan and programme of action for 2024 is being developed to be validated by AfCFTA, members and African tourism industry stakeholders and related international partners in early 2024.
