Sierra Leone's Minister of Tourism attends Experience Africa 2024

Last week, a delegation from the National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone – accompanied by the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Minister Nabeela Tunis – arrived for an official visit to London. The delegation attended Experience Africa (the UK’s leading African travel trade show) as an official destination partner, and hosted a celebration of Sierra Leone at The Africa Centre. All activity was done as part of Sierra Leone’s wider tourism strategy: to promote European footfall to the country, challenge misconceptions of the destination and engage members of the diaspora across the UK and Europe. 

In March 2024, the National Tourist Board became a member of ATTA®, the African Travel and Tourism Association, as part of its aim to forge links with international partners and invest in its tourism future. Between Monday 1 July and Wednesday 3 July, a delegation from the National Tourist Board enjoyed a week of productive meetings at Experience Africa, ATTA®’s trademark show – this was the tourist board’s second consecutive year at the show. Speaking with agents, tour operators and members of the travel trade and media, the week was a fantastic opportunity to showcase Sierra Leone's tourism offering and discuss product development for this emerging destination. 

As an official destination partner at this year’s show, General Manager Fatmata Mida Hamid Carew led an in-depth destination training to help educate buyers on this emerging destination. This was followed by a panel discussion about Sierra Leone’s cultural and experiential travel opportunities to an audience of over 80 engaged attendees. Future discussions are already in progress, and further details of new product will be detailed over the next year. 

The week culminated with a fantastic cultural celebration of Sierra Leone at The Africa Centre. From historical and cultural talks, drumming, music and spoken word organised by The Young Sierra Leonean, as well as traditional weaving and cooking streamed directly from Freetown, guests were truly immersed in the energy and hospitality of Sierra Leone. Attendees enjoyed a vibrant menu of Sierra Leonean cuisine by Chef Maria Bradford of Shwen Shwen and admired an exhibition of photography by Dave Brown taken during his visit to Sierra Leone with Maria for her debut cookbook, Sweet Salone. A speech by Minister Tunis – on the future of tourism in Sierra Leone, the work that has been done so far, and the warm welcome visitors to the country can expect – held the audience captivated, and there was opportunity to network and reconnect with members of the travel trade, Sierra Leonean diaspora and media.