…. as Uko highlights bridging the gap between Africa and the world
The Benin Royal Hotel, Cotonou was agog at a dinner get-together to welcome the Accraweizo team to Benin during a 5 day road trip from Nigeria to Ghana led by Ambassador Ikechi Uko.
The event turned out to be a double celebration as Hon. Dine Bouraima, Vice President of the African Tourism Board and President of Consortium Touristes Par Million Au Benin (CTM-Benin) who is also the Managing Director/Chief Executive Office, Benin Royal Hotel was inducted as the Africa Sports Tourism Awards (ASTA) Patron.
This prestigious award presented to Hon. Bouraima, by the ASTA President, Amb. Peace Onuiri, recognized his outstanding contributions to the development of sports tourism in Benin Republic and Africa.
The award was previously presented during the maiden ASTA Awards held in Abuja, Nigeria, but Hon. Bouraima was unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances.
Hon. Bouraima has been a driving force in promoting tourism development across Africa, and his tireless efforts have played a pivotal role in promoting tourism as a key driver of economic growth and cultural exchange on the continent.
The Benin Royal Hotel, a beacon of excellence in hospitality, has been a hub for sports tourism in the region, offering world-class facilities and services that attract tourists and sports enthusiasts from around the globe.
The Hotel is poised to become a central hub for sports tourism in the region, with state-of-the-art facilities, a dedicated team of professionals, and a strategic location.
Under the visionary leadership of Hon. Bouraima, the hotel is expected to set new standards of excellence and become a cornerstone of sports tourism in Benin Republic and Africa.
The induction ceremony highlighted the potential of sports tourism to stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and enhance the global image of African countries.
Amb.Onuiri called on the government, policymakers, and sports tourism stakeholders to recognize and invest in the sector, creating conducive environments, providing adequate funding, and establishing robust policies that support its growth.
Amb. Ikechi Uko, leader of the Accraweizo team, praised Hon. Bouraima’s achievement while emphasizing the importance of promoting Africa to the world.
He has been a pioneer in this effort through Accraweizo and Akwaaba African Travel Market, which he has been hosting annually.
The vision of Akwaaba is to bridge the gap between Africa and the world by showcasing African products and experiences.
Uko shared that his inspiration for creating Akwaaba came from attending the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, where he realized that Africans were often forced to travel to Europe to promote their own continent.
He decided to create a platform where Africa is sold to Africans first, and then to the world. Over the past 20 years, Akwaaba has successfully achieved this goal.
According to Uko, West Africa’s population of nearly 400 million people has the potential to drive business, tourism, and culture across the continent. However, a lack of collaboration has hindered this potential.
He believes that it is not too late to make a change and is working towards achieving this collaboration through Accraweizo.
“By working together, West Africa can become a self-sustaining market, where products are produced and consumed locally, reducing the need for imports. This is the first step towards making West Africa a prosperous region”.