Mali firmly believes in it. The country’s Tourism Promotion Agency is banking on tourist patriotism. The idea? Introduce Malians to the history of the capital, but also to places that are sometimes unknown, such as the Gounia, Woroni and Farako waterfalls, or even the Gourma elephants or the Ramsar sites.
These wetlands of international importance are made up of the interior delta of the Niger, the Magui and Wegnia lakes, and the Sourou valley. In short, this is an enriching immersion in the heart of this country, the cradle of the great empires and kingdoms of West Africa.
Public and private initiatives are emerging in the Sahel. Illustration in Niger where we will see by which process cultural actors are mobilizing to revive local tourism as in Agadez. Ousmane Bianou, tourist prescriber and ambassador of Visit Niger is an emblematic figure and pushes Nigerien youth to know their identity, their culture, their traditions.
This domestic tourism promotes the revival of the national economy, particularly for players in the sector.
Is this a profitable strategy? How to spread the brand image of Mali or Niger both inside and outside the country, in a context of economic, security, humanitarian and health challenges? By what means can tourism become an axis of strategic development?
