Africa-Press – Angola. The secretary of State for Tourism, Augusto Kalikemala, reaffirmed, in Luanda, the commitment of the Angolan Government to consolidating the country as an emerging tourist
destination in the world, with strategic participation in the main international trade fairs in the sector.
Angola hosted the largest consumer tourism fair in Europe, CMT Stuttgart, which took place from January 17 to 25 in Germany, and participated in the Madrid International Tourism Fair (FITUR), held from January 21 to 25 in Spain.
In presenting the results of these two events, the secretary of State highlighted that Angola’s participation marks a structural change in the way the country presents itself to the international market, ceasing to be a practically unknown destination and establishing itself as an emerging destination on the European radar.
Kalikemala was speaking at a press conference, which also served to launch Angola’s participation in the International Tourism Fair Berlin (ITB), to be held from March 3 to 5, also in Germany, where the country will also host this largest tourism event in the world.
The official said that this is the first time Angola participated in these fairs under a consolidated identity of “Visit Angola – The Rhythm of Life,” the country’s new tourism promotion brand. He stressed that the initiative aims to position Angola in a structured, commercial and competitive way, promoting its main assets, such as culture, natural resources, gastronomy and landscape diversity.
According to Augusto Kalikemala, the strategy began to be prepared last year, with initial participation as an observer in international fairs, allowing for the evaluation of exhibition models, commercial dynamics and market demands. “This is not a one-off action, as the Visit Angola brand is here to stay and will be the official way of presenting the country, both in the international and domestic markets,” he stressed.
He highlighted that at FITUR, held in Madrid, Angola reached more than 638 million people through international media coverage, more than 717 mentions in the press (including TV, radio, print and digital media), and 3,500 visitors directly exposed to the Visit Angola brand.
He also said that the event also allowed for reaching more than 500,000 people on social media and holding 35 qualified meetings with tour operators and business partners. The fair, which combines “business-to-consumer and business-to-business” models, allowed for the establishment of relevant business contacts and opened doors for future strategic partnerships in the Spanish market. Regarding the international impact, the Secretary of State explained that one of the main gains was the change in perception about Angola.
He argued that the country has gone from an unknown destination to an emerging one, sparking qualified interest from tour operators and investors.
Augusto Kalikemala pointed out that Angola’s presence at international fairs has also allowed for the establishment of new partnerships with European travel agencies, the start of medium- and long-term booking processes, and the consolidation of the country as a potential destination for tourism investment.
The official further clarified that the concrete results of participation in international fairs are medium-term, as tourism works with advance planning cycles.
He emphasized that the increase in tourist flow directly impacts job creation, growth in private investment, the inflow of foreign currency into the economy, and the revitalization of local production chains. “Tourism begins with visibility, but it consolidates with structure, investment, and quality of services,” he stated.
Regarding the Berlin International Tourism Fair (ITB), the official said that Angola’s participation as host country in this event represents a new strategic leap, where Angola will assume a prominent position as a leading African country, bringing 21 national tour operators prepared for direct negotiations with the international market.
Among the planned actions are participation in the official opening gala, promotion of Angolan gastronomy and culture, organization of an exclusive forum for investors, and the launch of the Investment Guide in Tourism in Angola.
The country’s presence at the world’s largest tourism event aims, essentially, to attract at least 100 qualified investors and promote opportunities in hospitality, natural parks, adventure tourism and support infrastructure.
