When the founding fathers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) established in 1975, their vision was to create a region of one people integrating and growing together.
ECOWAS remains far from that vision 40 years on.
But Accra Weizo has been set up to push for aviation integration in West Africa, in line with the founding vision of ECOWAS.
Accra Weizo is billed for July 3 at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana. The focus for this year is “A Seamless Travel Experience”.
It will be hosted by Ghanaian Tourism and Creative Arts Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare.
Weizo is put together by the organisers of Akwaaba, African Travel Market, Lagos, the only international travel fair in West Africa recognised by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), and Abuja Bantaba.
The promoter, Ikechi Uko, said the idea was inspired by a speech given by former Nigerian Civil Aviation Agency (NCAA) Director General, Harold Demuren, at the Bantaba event in Abuja in 2012 while receiving the award of the Travel Personality of the Year.
He quoted Demuren as saying that “West Africa should be a single domestic aviation environment integrating, safety regulations, airline connections and airports.”
With a population of about 300 million in 15 countries and a fast growing economy, West Africa started the regional integration race in Africa but has since lagged behind East and Southern Africa.
West Africa has over 40 airports and an economy to sustain a viable travel and tourism industry.
Weizo seeks to bring travel professionals together to share knowledge and work out a future path of success for the region.
Special Adviser to UNWTO Secretary General, Rosette Rugamba, will deliver a paper on “Regional Blocks as Tourism Destinations”.
Rugamba started the tourism projects of Rwanda, including the famous gorilla naming ceremony, “Kwita Izina”.
The aviation session will have two presentations, one by Adefunke Adeyemi, Head, IATA for Africa and the Middle East, titled “Intra Africa Air Connectivity, the Facts Challenges and Benefits”.
The second paper will be on “Passenger Friendliness and Airport Infrastructure in West Africa”.
The aviation presentation will be treated by a panel of airline chief executive officers (CEOs), aviation heads, and airport managers from across West Africa.
Other speakers will include Head HRG and GSA for Delta Airlines, Femi Adefope, who will speak on “Trans-border Investment in Travel Business”; and Frank Nneji, ABC Transport Managing Director, who will speak on “Doing Business Across West Africa”.
Another paper will be on the “Role of the Private Sector in Regional Integration”.
Accra Weizo will convene over 150 major players in travel and tourism in West Africa and also honour 20 travel personalities for their roles in building trade across the region.
The event is in partnership with the Ghana Tour Operators Union (TOUGHA) and will feature private tours to Accra and Cape-Coast on the second day.