Gambia Targets Nigerian, African Tourism Market as Minister Leads Delegation to Akwaaba 2026 – Independent Newspaper Nigeria

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The Gambia is set to step up efforts to attract more visitors, tourism investment and business travellers from Nigeria and other African countries as the country’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Abdoulie Jobe, leads a high-powered delegation to the 2026 Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos.

The Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) will participate in this year’s edition of the travel trade exhibition, scheduled to hold from September 13 to 15, 2026, with a delegation comprising government officials, tourism executives and other stakeholders from the country’s tourism sector.

The participation is expected to provide The Gambia with an important platform to promote its tourism products, build stronger commercial relationships and expand its presence in Nigeria and the wider African travel market.

Ahead of the main exhibition, the Gambian delegation, operating under the banner of Team Gambia, will host a Destination Gambia Promotional Cocktail Reception on September 12.

The reception is expected to attract travel agencies, tour operators, airline and aviation stakeholders, logistics companies, investors and other professionals within the tourism and travel value chain.

The event will provide an opportunity for Gambian tourism authorities and private-sector operators to engage directly with key decision-makers in the African travel industry, while promoting the country’s tourism experiences and exploring new opportunities for partnerships and investment.

Apart from Minister Jobe, the delegation will include the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Mrs Amie Njie; Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gambia Tourism Board, Mr Momodou Bamba Saho; and the Director General of the Gambia Tourism Board, Mrs Ida Jeng Njie.

Other tourism stakeholders from The Gambia are also expected to participate in the Lagos travel trade gathering.

A key objective of the Gambian delegation’s participation will be to position the country as an emerging destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions, popularly known as MICE tourism.

The move comes amid increasing demand across Africa for business events, corporate meetings, conferences, exhibitions and other organised gatherings, creating fresh opportunities for destinations seeking to diversify their tourism offerings.

While The Gambia has traditionally been known for leisure and holiday tourism, the country is now seeking to broaden its appeal by promoting opportunities in business travel and events tourism.

At Akwaaba 2026, the country will showcase its hospitality infrastructure, tourism facilities and capacity to host conferences, corporate events and other business-related activities.

The MICE tourism push is expected to create opportunities for closer cooperation between Gambian tourism operators and their counterparts in Nigeria and other African countries.

It could also encourage increased business travel and the development of commercial relationships between tourism companies, event organisers, airlines, hotels and other service providers in both markets.

For the Gambia Tourism Board, participation in the exhibition forms part of a broader destination marketing strategy aimed at diversifying the country’s tourism markets and attracting visitors from across Africa.

Nigeria, with its large population and significant travel market, is regarded as an important source of potential leisure and business travellers for African destinations.

By increasing its engagement with Nigerian travel agencies, tour operators and other industry stakeholders, The Gambia hopes to improve awareness of its tourism offerings and generate more traffic to the destination.

The Akwaaba African Travel Market has over the years provided a platform for tourism destinations, airlines, hotels, travel agencies, tour operators and other industry players to meet, network and develop commercial partnerships.

The event is expected to once again bring together tourism and travel professionals from different parts of Africa and beyond, providing participating countries with an opportunity to promote their destinations directly to industry professionals and potential business partners.

For Team Gambia, the 2026 edition will therefore serve as more than a destination promotion exercise.

The delegation is expected to use the gathering to seek investment opportunities, strengthen trade relationships and support the growth of the Gambian private sector within the tourism industry.

The country’s participation also highlights the growing importance of intra-African tourism as governments and industry stakeholders increasingly seek to encourage Africans to travel within the continent.

Improved collaboration among tourism boards, airlines, travel companies and other stakeholders is considered crucial to expanding regional travel and unlocking Africa’s vast tourism potential.

Through its participation in Akwaaba 2026, The Gambia is expected to reinforce its position as a destination offering more than traditional beach and leisure holidays.

The country will seek to project itself as a competitive destination for business travel, investment, conferences, exhibitions and other major events, while strengthening its links with Nigeria and the wider African tourism market.

With Minister Jobe leading the delegation, Team Gambia’s presence in Lagos is expected to underscore the country’s determination to secure a larger share of Africa’s growing travel and tourism market and develop stronger partnerships capable of driving increased visitor arrivals and tourism investment.