Tourism is one of the key economic sectors for African countries. To this end, ECOWAS member countries have decided to digitize the sector.

On December 6, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) announced the development of a digital platform for classifying tourist accommodation establishments. This decision follows a meeting held in Dakar from November 21-24, 2023, attended by delegations from member countries.

The platform aims to simplify the process for tourists seeking accommodation throughout the West African region. According to Dr. Anthony Luka Elumelu, ECOWAS Director in charge of the private sector, this innovative measure enhances the value of ECOWAS tourism facilities by serving as an information hub for international and regional tourists.  

It forms a key part of the Ecotour 19-29 ten-year action plan, designed to accelerate the development of the tourism sector across the sub-region. The adoption of Regulation C.REG.2/07/23 by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in July 2023 and the subsequent creation of the Tourist Accommodation Standards Authority established standardized criteria for classifying accommodation establishments within the community, paving the way for the platform's implementation.

ECOWAS expects the platform to deliver significant benefits for public tourism administrations responsible for hotel classification. These include reduced costs and time associated with the classification process, eliminating the need for extensive travel to fulfill obligations, and providing real-time access to statistical data on both hotel supply across all member countries and tourist arrivals.

Adoni Conrad Quenum