Sierra Leone Tourism and Cultural Sector has joined the global tourism community to participate in Fitur, Ifema Madrid in Spain, where it attracted over 300 trade visitors.
The showpiece event runs from the 24th-28th January, 2024. The delegation from Sierra Leone, led by the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Nabeela Tunis comprised officials from the Ministry, the National Tourist Board, the Monument and Relics Commission and private sector operatives (Best Travel Solutions, Tourism is Life and Kallon Travels).
Fitur is a meeting point for tourism professionals and a very important trade fair for the industry’s latest tendencies. The 44th edition of this international trade fair features 9,000 companies, 152 countries and 806 exhibitors displaying their offers in 9 pavilions.
Exploring different stands, participating in conferences, giving insights into what is happening and creating networks are among the activities for the Sierra Leone delegation at Fitur.
Improving the sector’s (Explore Freedom) brand image, attract new international connections, increase brand awareness and lure more people to visit Sierra Leone are the benefits of Sierra Leone’s participation.
On the opening day of the event, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Nabeela Tunis attended conferences and held meeting with high profile tourism stakeholders. She explained the destination’s huge tourism potentials as an emerging tourism hotspot that is ready and open for business.
The sector’s year-long domestic tourism campaign was talked about as well as the strides made in getting the sector to a competitive level. Minister Tunis visited and showed solidarity with her colleague Africa Tourism Ministers in their respective stands, a move that symbolizes Sierra Leone’s readiness to collaborate and partner for tourism growth in Africa. She met with the Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Cape Verde’s Tourism Minister, Carlos Santos and Gambia’s Tourism Minister, Hamat Bah.
The Sierra Leone Explore Freedom pavilion attracted over 300 trade visitors that expressed interest to visit and invest in tourism and culture. The Director of Tourism, Mohamed Jalloh, the General Manager of the National Tourist Board, Fatmata Hamid Carew, the Deputy Director of Culture, Ishmael Kamara and the aforementioned private sector players held productive meetings with tourism executives and renowned tour and travel companies.
The communications Professionals of the Ministry and that of the Tourist Board apart from their role to capture and report on the Trade Fair went around booths/stands of other destinations to ascertain how Sierra Leone can be positioned to better compete at the global stage.
