The Adviser and
The Adviser and Proprietor of the Institute of Travel and Tourism of The Gambia, Sheikh Tijan Yang, has expressed optimism that the ongoing efforts to revive the Confederation of Tourism Professionals of West Africa (COPITOUR) will usher in a new era of regional cooperation and tourism development across West Africa.
Speaking during the COPITOUR revival meeting, Yang said the organization was established about seven years ago by tourism federations from across the sub-region to provide a unified platform for addressing common challenges in the tourism industry.
According to him, although COPITOUR was founded with high expectations, it has not operated as effectively as intended, making its revival both timely and necessary.
“We believe that working together to address the challenges facing the tourism sector is essential. Collaboration is the best way forward because working individually is no longer enough,” he said.
Yang explained that the decision to seek the support of ECOWAS was aimed at repositioning the regional body and strengthening cooperation among tourism stakeholders across West Africa.
He noted that tourism remains a key driver of economic growth in the region and stressed that a stronger regional organization would complement ECOWAS’ efforts to promote tourism, investment, and regional integration.
Highlighting his background, Yang said he has over 50 years of experience in the tourism sector, having risen from a Tourism Officer to Director of Tourism in The Gambia, where he coordinated the country’s Tourism Master Plan. He also serves as Secretary-General of one of the tourism associations under the Tourism Federation of The Gambia.
He added that the main objective of the meeting was to openly discuss the challenges confronting COPITOUR, particularly leadership issues, and to chart a new course for the organization.
Yang expressed confidence that the meeting would mark the beginning of a stronger and more effective regional partnership capable of advancing the tourism agenda across the West African sub-region.
He also commended ECOWAS for supporting the initiative, describing the organization’s intervention as a significant step toward repositioning COPITOUR as a leading voice for private-sector tourism collaboration in West Africa.
