Post a comment The Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Nabeela Farida Tunis, held high-level engagements at FITUR 2026 in Madrid, including a strategic meeting with the Secretary-General of UN Tourism, H.E. Shaikha Alnuwais, aimed at strengthening multilateral cooperation in the tourism sector.
During the meeting, discussions focused on advancing the country’s tourism development agenda, with emphasis on policy alignment, institutional capacity building, data-driven planning, and technical assistance.
A Letter of Intent was signed confirming Freetown as host of the 3rd UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa, scheduled to take place later this year. The forum is expected to bring together policymakers, industry stakeholders, and development partners to explore the role of gastronomy in sustainable tourism growth across the continent.
Engagements also highlighted collaboration with the Women in Tourism Leadership Africa Committee (WiTLAC), which the country currently chairs, with a focus on inclusive leadership and increased participation of women in tourism governance.
The discussions reflect the country’s growing role within Africa’s tourism ecosystem and its commitment to promoting sustainable and inclusive tourism development.
Since assuming office, Minister Tunis has overseen initiatives aimed at increasing sector visibility and coherence, including the introduction of annual thematic frameworks such as Tourism for All (2024), Year of Ecotourism (2025), and Year of Culture and Creativity (2026).
