By Atoyebi Nike
The ECOWAS Commission has wrapped up a four-day technical meeting in Cotonou, Benin Republic, where tourism experts from across West Africa reviewed and validated six draft classification standards for hospitality establishments. The session, held from July 8 to 11, 2025, aimed to harmonies regional standards for hotels, ecolodges, aparthotels, and similar facilities under the ECOTOUR framework, organized by the ECOWAS Commission’s Private Sector and Industry Directorates, the meeting aligns with broader efforts to elevate the region’s tourism sector to global standards while retaining its cultural richness.
Speaking at the event, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, Mrs. Massandje Toure-Litse—represented by Dr. Tony Luka Elumelu outlined five key pillars for regional tourism development. These include infrastructure upgrades, simplified visa regimes, regulatory harmonization, sustainable practices, and stronger public-private collaboration.
Benin’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Mrs. Alimatou Shadiya Assouman, represented by Standards Agency head Mr. Mohamed Nazif El-Hadji Alassane, praised the initiative, noting that unified standards will attract more tourists and investments, boosting the region’s global competitiveness.
The meeting marks a critical step toward building a modern, eco-conscious, and integrated tourism market in West Africa.
