WATO, Travelife and FTT partner to accelerate responsible tourism in West Africa
The West Africa Tourism Organisation (WATO), Travelife and Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) have formalised a partnership to advance responsible tourism across West Africa. The collaboration – underpinned by MoUs between the organisations – aims to expand sustainability knowledge and management systems, develop a region‑specific standard aligned with global benchmarks, and strengthen certification and market access pathways for tourism businesses.
Implementation will run through WATO’s West Africa Ecotourism Network (WAEN), with Travelife providing its recognised sustainability management system, training and technical assistance, while the partners co‑create tools tailored to West African operational contexts. Planned activity includes capacity‑building resources, co‑branded educational materials, webinars and joint projects, alongside coordinated advocacy, policy alignment and regular progress reviews to boost recognition of responsible operators and open routes to European markets.
Source: Fair Trade Tourism
