Tourism Potential of West Africa

[Arinze]

This is a catch-all thread that highlights the historical and natural beauty of West African states.



West Africa includes the region in dark green and also comprises the members (excluding Mauritania, which is not a member) of the regional entity known as ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States)

• Benin
• Burkina Faso
• Cape Verde
• Cote d'Ivoire
• The Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Liberia
• Mali
• Mauritania
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Togo

I'll probably go in alphabetical order but don't hold me to it...

[Arinze]

Fast facts
Official language: French
Commonly used languages: Fon and Yoruba
Population: 8,791,832
Borders: Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria
Major City: Cotonou
Capital: Porto-Novo

Natural:


















Cultural:
image hosted on flickr






City Life:
Cotonou







image hosted on flickr



Porto-Novo


image hosted on flickr



image hosted on flickr

[Hadrami]

Originally Posted by Arinze

West Africa includes the region in dark green and also comprises the members (excluding Mauritania, which is not a member) of the regional entity known as ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States)

[Arinze]

Well its not a member of ECOWAS but its still included as "West Africa" so I will post pictures on it, but the ECOWAS visa free movement between member states does not work in Mauritania

[Hadrami]

Originally Posted by Arinze

Well its not a member of ECOWAS but its still included as "West Africa" so I will post pictures on it, but the ECOWAS visa free movement between member states does not work in Mauritania

Yes, we withdrew from it.




If we catch you guys in our country without visa we will kick you out.

[Arinze]

Don't wanna go there anyway

[Hadrami]

Originally Posted by Arinze

Don't wanna go there anyway

Well your pidgin-speaking brothers in Little Accra love it.

[popa1980]

I dont think WA can ever really compete with the East for tourism but can probably have a "niche" in cultural tourism.

[Arinze]

Thank you Popa for what I assume is an insightful point

Despite the fact that West Africa has the same big attractions of East Africa, such as the lions elephants etc, beaches, Cities, and etc and etc.
Let us hear what West Africa as a region lacks

Which at the end of the day is not really the point, the overall all goal being to utilize ECOWAS visa free travel between member states to open up a new avenue of revenue for nations of West Africa.
West Africa can use tourism to capitalize on the links it has with the Americas, mainly being people of African decent who would like to get in touch with their roots in addition that there can be cultural exchange between the two groups.
Lastly, with West Africa being one of if not the most diverse regions in Africa, religiously, linguistically, culturally, environmentally and etc is in a better position than many other regions to provide tourist unique experience.

Its Ghana Hadrami

[Hadrami]

Originally Posted by Arinze

Its Ghana Hadrami

Yes in little Accra in Nouadhibou, Islamic Republic Of Mauritana about 50% are ghanians, so they named the area after them.
Nigerians account for about 35%.

i wont divert this good thread any further.

[Arinze]

Northern Nigerians/Ghanians

[Hadrami]

Originally Posted by Arinze

Northern Nigerians/Ghanians

Nah, most are southerners trying to get to Canarias (spain).

[Sokotocaliphate]

Originally Posted by popa1980

I dont think WA can ever really compete with the East for tourism but can probably have a "niche" in cultural tourism.

...Woooosh....right can you stop contaminating every positive thread...that's not the aim here....phew!

[Arinze]

Thank you, at no point was this thread about which region could compete with so and so region, what is being address is what as a region West Africa could offer to a tourist.
How does one create a "cultural niche" form of tourism, I'll never know because all nations have "culture" culture especially with regards to Africa So all areas of tourism must be addressed.

-Natural scenery and wildlife
-Culture
-City life
-Historical

No one goes to France for culture alone they go for the scenery, the famous sights, food, etc.

And quite frankly if there is anything I've learned from Dubai, anything is possible

[Naijaborn]

Originally Posted by popa1980

I dont think WA can ever really compete with the East for tourism but can probably have a "niche" in cultural tourism.

That is NOT true.
It's all about the packaging.

U think if Nigeria needed tourism revenues BADLY, and most of our foreign exchange had to come from that, u think the tourism industry wont explode in just 5 years???

[Arinze]

+1 Ghana's prodigal son strikes again

[Naijaborn]

Originally Posted by Arinze

+1 [Ghana's prodigal son strikes again

uh??

[popa1980]

Originally Posted by Arinze

Thank you Popa for what I assume is an insightful point

Despite the fact that West Africa has the same big attractions of East Africa, such as the lions elephants etc, beaches, Cities, and etc and etc.
Let us hear what West Africa as a region lacks

Which at the end of the day is not really the point, the overall all goal being to utilize ECOWAS visa free travel between member states to open up a new avenue of revenue for nations of West Africa.
West Africa can use tourism to capitalize on the links it has with the Americas, mainly being people of African decent who would like to get in touch with their roots in addition that there can be cultural exchange between the two groups.
Lastly, with West Africa being one of if not the most diverse regions in Africa, religiously, linguistically, culturally, environmentally and etc is in a better position than many other regions to provide tourist unique experience.

Its Ghana Hadrami

which is basically what i said, WA can have a niche in "cultural" tourism but obviously the market for that is no way as big as EAs warm Indian Ocean beaches, Rift Valley mountains, lakes and animals. Sierra Leone and Senegal can become beach destinations for Europeans like Gambia. Most of the rest of WA has cold, choppy Atlantic surf.

I actually believe that WA should start re-populating national parks with animals that are now extinct/sparse in this part of the world. It sounds crazy but i think it would bring in a lot of money. Lions, giraffe, zebras etc etc. Angola has been doing that for years now after their stocks of animals were destroyed in the war. Nigeria doesnt have that much spare space but Ghana, Benin, CI, Togo etc etc have vast lowly populated savannah zones which would be perfect for this.

[popa1980]

Originally Posted by Naijaborn

That is NOT true.
It's all about the packaging.

U think if Nigeria needed tourism revenues BADLY, and most of our foreign exchange had to come from that, u think the tourism industry wont explode in just 5 years???

LMAO. No!

[Naijaborn]

Originally Posted by popa1980

LMAO. No!

''LMAO no''??
Is that even an answer??
some of the countries that have some of the best tourism potenttials in the world, do not have them developed based on one reason or the other. {Ie Libya, Nigeria, Cameroon, Ethiopia} Etc

Wildlife didnt roam in Tanzania more than it did in Ethiopia..... but which one of them is more popular for safaris??