Blessing Chizhande
Nqobile Bhebhe in Masvingo
CÔTE d’Ivoire is seeking to deepen tourism cooperation with Southern African destinations as it positions itself as a gateway to West Africa and explores opportunities for structured partnerships, a senior tourism official has said.
Director of the Bureau of Tourism at the Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire in South Africa, Mr Ahmed Soro, said the ongoing Chief Executive Officers (CEO) Roundtable in Masvingo provided an important platform to strengthen integration between West and Southern Africa’s tourism markets.
The CEO Roundtable is being held under the theme: “One Region, One Destination: Advancing Integrated and Sustainable Tourism Growth.”
The engagement is being held ahead of the official opening of the Sanganai/Hlanganani/Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo in Masvingo, which runs from 9 to 12 September.
Mr Soro said Côte d’Ivoire’s participation was aimed at promoting the country’s tourism offering while creating opportunities for partnerships with key players across the regional tourism value chain.
“From an Ivorian perspective, it is an honour to attend this CEO Roundtable and the main objective is to strengthen the country’s integration into African dynamics, particularly between West and Southern Africa,” he said.
The engagement comes as African destinations increasingly seek to leverage regional collaboration to grow tourist arrivals, extend visitor stays and create integrated tourism products.
Mr Soro said the platform would also allow Côte d’Ivoire to showcase its tourism brand, Sublime Côte d’Ivoire, in Southern African markets.
“It provides a platform to promote Sublime Côte d’Ivoire in the Southern African markets, identify partnerships with tourism boards, tour operators, airlines, media and content creators,” he said.
Beyond destination marketing, Mr Soro said Côte d’Ivoire was keen to share its experiences in areas such as domestic tourism, business tourism and Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE), while also learning from other African destinations.
“It is also an opportunity to share Côte d’Ivoire’s experience in domestic tourism, business and MICE tourism, major events and media familiarisation trips, while learning from other African destinations,” he said.
He said the ultimate objective was to translate engagements at the roundtable into deeper cooperation and greater participation in future tourism initiatives.
“Ultimately, this Roundtable should help position Côte d’Ivoire as a gateway to West Africa and as a complementary partner for Southern Africa destinations, while preparing more structured cooperation and official participation in future initiatives,” he said.
Online Reporter