Lagos Travel Expo to Target AFCON 2027 Tourism Deals
The 2026 Akwaaba African Travel Market will host a regional operators' summit to build cross-border tourism packages ahead of the 2027 African Cup of Nations, targeting new intra-continental revenue streams.
Organizers of the Akwaaba African Travel Market are positioning the 2026 edition of the West African expo as a trade facilitation hub for the 2027 African Cup of Nations. The event, scheduled for September 13-15 at the Eko Hotel in Lagos, will center on linking tour operators from West and East Africa to develop joint travel packages. The commercial focus reflects an effort to structure and monetize cross-border travel driven by continental sporting events.
The 2027 AFCON will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. While East Africa dominates the continent's tourism sector, West Africa historically provides the majority of qualifiers for the tournament. Organizers expect the upcoming championship to generate significant tourism demand across the three host nations. By connecting operators ahead of the event, the expo aims to channel that regional demand into structured, bookable itineraries.
This strategy will be executed through the second African Tour Operators Summit, marking the return of the conference after an eight-year hiatus since its 2018 debut. The summit is designed to foster B2B networking, allowing operators to build joint marketing initiatives and consolidated travel products. For travel and hospitality executives, the platform represents a targeted opportunity to secure distribution partnerships across regional borders ahead of a major demand catalyst.
The business agenda will be complemented by the AFRICA TRAVEL 100 Awards on September 14. “The awards will honour African tour operators that promote and market African destinations to Africans. It is the Africans for Africa awards,” the organizers said.
As the largest travel expo in West Africa and ranked among the top five on the continent, Akwaaba draws attendance from over 20 countries, including the UAE, Turkey, and South Africa. Beyond the operators' summit, the 2026 program will feature dedicated segments for medical tourism, aviation cargo through the CHINET Aviacargo forum, travel technology, and destination weddings. The event received an Award of Excellence in Tourism in 2022 from the Nigerian government and the UNWTO, reinforcing its status as a primary marketing platform for inbound and outbound African travel.
