President of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort and founder of the IPADA Initiative, Ambassador Wanle Akinboboye, has emphasized that Africa’s prosperity depends on unity and collaboration through tourism and cultural exchange.
Speaking during a review session of IPADA’s 2024 activities, he said the initiative was conceived to transform Africa from a collection of attractions into a single global tourism destination.
Akinboboye noted that Africa is rich in resources yet regarded as poor due to disunity, stressing that tourism cannot thrive in isolation.
He likened the continent to a father with 55 children who fail to identify with him, urging nations to harness their strengths for shared growth.
The IPADA Initiative, he said, seeks to make Nigeria a gateway for exploring Africa, using Lagos and Abuja as strategic entry points.
He compared the concept to Europe’s Schengen visa, explaining that Africa must present itself as one tourism block to attract global visitors.
While Europe recorded 747 million visitors in 2024 despite limited land and weather, he said Africa—with its vast natural and cultural wealth—can surpass that figure if united.
Highlighting achievements from 2024, Akinboboye mentioned partnerships with six international bodies, including the governments of Vanuatu and Rwanda, to replicate La Campagne’s eco-tourism model.
Other milestones include the “From Slave Ships to Cruise Ships” project, the proposed Ubutu Towers in Lekki, the Taraba Experience featuring five Agro-Ecotourism Heritage Resorts, and Blossom Retreats to mentor young women.
He added that the annual IPADA Festival, held from November 29 to December 7, celebrates Africa’s tourism harvest each year.
For 2025, he said focus will shift toward strengthening daily tourism traffic, targeting 100,000 visitors moving across Africa daily under the IPADA platform.
Akinboboye also described agro and eco-tourism as powerful tools for youth empowerment and rural development.
He said Africa must make agriculture attractive again by blending it with tourism—through Agro-Ecotourism Heritage Resorts that merge farming, leisure, and education to create wealth and pride in rural communities.
Reporting by Chioma Ezike