Concerned about the painful impact of xenophobic conversations and trade barriers across the African continent, the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies, NANTA, in collaboration with Ghana-based Safari Valley Resort and supported by Ibom Air, will embark on a 4-day retreat to reignite a fresh commitment to intra-African tourism.
Guided by the theme, “Africa for Africa: Tourism, Unity and Shared Growth”, the retreat is designed as a pan-African engagement to rekindle hope and drive conversations around solutions to Afrophobia and the barriers to cultural tourism and travel opportunities within the continent.
President of NANTA, Mr. Yinka Folami, explained that Nigeria and Ghana share deep historical dreams of African unity, liberation, and pan-African cooperation. This, he said, is why the association is moving to recalibrate and rekindle hope for a strong and united Africa.
“From the intellectual foundations laid by our leaders during the independence movements to decades of cultural tourism exchange, trade and commerce, Nigeria and Ghana have repeatedly chosen partnership and collaboration over division,” Folami stated.
Providing more insight, the NANTA President noted that the visit is more than cultural tourism.
“It is a historic handshake. A reaffirmation that Africa is not merely a collection of countries separated by colonial borders, but one community connected by history, culture, trade, enterprise and people,” he explained.
He further stated that the NANTA Executive Council will use the opportunity to deliberate on the future of the association, which recently marked its Jubilee celebration in Ibadan. Key on the agenda is NANTA’s commitment to advocating for easier movement of persons across Africa and building stronger tourism partnerships and policies that encourage Africans to see other African countries not as foreign territory, but as home.
In a light moment, Folami added:
“I have informed our Ghanaian brothers and sisters at Safari Valley that our NANTA delegation has a very capable chef, and therefore they should prepare for a spirited and friendly Jollof Rice competition.”
The retreat is expected to bring together travel trade leaders, tourism stakeholders, and policy advocates from both countries to chart a new path for seamless travel and cultural exchange within Africa.