Tourism Potential: Cameroon Can Host Six Million Visitors Annually

The information was revealed to participants at the ongoing 2018 edition of the Sustainable Tourism International Exhibition in Yaounde.

(Cameroon Tribune) The Permanent Secretary of the National Council of Tourism, Eitel Akame, has said government is taking measures to develop the tourism sector which, according to him, has the potential to bring as many as six million visitors to Cameroon.

He was speaking in one of several conferences

animating the 2018 edition of the Sustainable Tourism International Exhibition (MERCATOUR) taking place on the esplanade of the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium in Yaounde.

The boss of the tourism council schooled participants on the importance of economic, environmental and social sustainability in tourism. He stressed on the respect of international safety and security standards, insisting that hotels and restaurants should respect the classifications attributed to them by government.

Going by Eitel Akame, the State is playing its role to make the tourism sector profitable for the current and future generations. He called on actors in the private sector to also play their part.

Meanwhile, exhibitors at the fair lauded the initiative of the organizers but regretted that the turnout is poor. Christiana Ekwa, Tourist Officer of the Limbe City Council bemoaned the fact that only a few people are visiting the stands.

“We are here to sell Limbe; to provide information to people who would love to visit the city. Despite the low turnout, we are benefiting so much from the conferences,” she said, noting that they would take recommendations from experts seriously.

Tsafack Albert, CEO of Sevina, a Douala-based company specialized in bottling palm wine and natural fruit juice, said he expected to meet potential partners and seal business deals.

“This is not happening and I think many people are not informed there is an exhibition going on here,” he stated, expressing hope that the next edition would be better. Also taking part at the exhibition are the national gendarmerie, tourism associations, local food processing cooperatives and designers, among others.

MBOM Sixtus