IPNEWS: At the conclusion of the three-day meeting of Tourism Experts and the Private Sector on the Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanisms of ECOTOUR 19-29, participants from Member States adopted several key resolutions. The private sector was tasked with formulating a request for funding for ECOTOUR 19-29 activities, identifying and seeking the support of Technical and Financial Partners (TFPs), and initiating and signing a partnership agreement with the ECOWAS Commission with a view to implementing a robust and sustainable regional tourism for eco-nomic growth.
For Member States, it was agreed to provide national classification commissions and structures responsible for resource regulation, and to organize awareness-raising sessions for industry stakeholders on the new regulations.
The ECOWAS Commission committed to organizing capacity-building sessions for national classification commissions and regulatory structures, establishing a harmonized tourism satel-lite account for member countries, disseminating and making available the new regulations to Member States, and conducting a mid-term evaluation of ECOTOUR 19-29.
These resolutions were included in the Final Communique from the meeting, which was adop-ted by regional experts on May 16, 2024, in Abuja, Nigeria. The communique was signed by the Chairperson of the meeting, represented by Mrs. Ruth NDAM, Director of Hospitality & Travel Trade at the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Anthony Luka ELUMELU, Director of the Private Sector at the ECO-WAS Commission, speaking on behalf of Mrs. Massandjé TOURE-LITSE, Commissioner for Eco-nomic Affairs and Agriculture, expressed heartfelt appreciation to all participants for their va-luable contributions to the success of the meeting and their ongoing efforts in implementing ECOTOUR 19-29.
He reaffirmed the ECOWAS Commission’s commitment to fully implementing the meeting’s recommendations, with the goal of transforming the region into a tourist hub that will enhance the regional economy and promote integration across the board.
