Policymakers and regional experts have explained that neither the aviation nor tourism sector can thrive in isolation, and the key to unlocking the region’s economic potential lies in deliberate government policy, improved regional connectivity, and elevated visitor experience design.
Speaking on the theme: “Financing Connectivity: Unlocking Aviation and Tourism Growth in West and Central Africa,” during the AeroWest Summit 2026 in Lagos, stakeholders noted that
the relationship between air travel and destination appeal is symbiotic—aviation brings the visitors, while tourism creates the demand that keeps aircraft full.
Fatima Mida Carew, General Manager of the National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone, summed up this interdependence directly:
“Without aviation, there is no tourism. At the same time, without tourism, there is no aviation. We complement each other. Within domestic and regional tourism, you need aviation to move from one destination to another as seamlessly as possible.”
