Made up of various stakeholders in the region, WATO welcomes members operating any tourism-related business as well as coordinating initiatives and activities across different countries.
The group’s mission is to help protect the region’s natural ecosystems, flagship species, cultural features and indigenous communities, as Ola Wright, CEO of West Africa Tourism Organisation, explains
WHICH COUNTRIES ARE COVERED BY THE WEST AFRICA TOURISM ORGANISATION?
Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guiné Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé & Principe, St. Helena (UK oversea territory), Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo are all covered by WATO.
The potential of these countries where tourism is concerned is immense. The interwoven, yet exotic cultures of West Africa are loaded with histories of both fading and waxing cultures that draws any visitor into its amazing world of endless learning.
Made up of various stakeholders in the region, WATO welcomes members operating any tourism-related business as well as coordinating initiatives and activities across different countries.
TOURISM IN WEST AFRICA?
There are many hidden gems, whether boutique ecolodges, community-based tours, or environmental NGOs working in conservation. It is common to find the best eco-tourism experiences in or around protected areas, sometimes even contributing to its management.
Mognori, which translates as “river bank”, is a farming village relatively close to the south-eastern border of Mole National Park in Ghana. It is rich in the traditions of the Hanga clan. The current residents are descendants of a Moshi hunter who settled on the Murugu land before the slave raids of the 18th century. The village has become a flourishing ecotourism venture offering various activities such as canoe safaris on the Mognori river – the likeliness of seeing wildlife such as the patas monkey, green monkey, the Nile crocodile, birds and some antelope along the banks of the river is high. The community also offer village tours to learn about the production of shea butter and black soap. Visitors can overnight in the park at Zaina Lodge or they can opt for a rural homestay.
In the case of São Tomé and Principe, the PTRS (Associação de Promoção do Turismo Responsavel e Sustentavel) has partnered with the Obô National Park authority to monitor fauna and flora, provide maintenance services to trails and public areas, and help to raise awareness in neighbouring communities about the importance of the park. They also operate thematic tours in rural areas to allow visitors to learn more about organic cocoa, coffee, pepper and other spices, and have closer interactions with producers and cooperatives.
This is an excerpt from an article originally published by Breaking Travel News.
