Ouagadougou Resumes International Tourism and Hospitality Exhibition With Regional Pavilions
Ouagadougou – Burkina Faso will resume the Ouagadougou International Tourism and Hospitality Exhibition (SITHO) alongside the International Tourism, Hospitality, and Tourism Showcase (VITHRO), scheduled for October 26 to 29, 2023. Fidèle Tamini, the president of the organizing committee, announced on Monday that each region of the country will feature a pavilion to highlight its specific tourism attributes.
According to a new release by Burkina Information Agency, these events come after several years of suspension and will be jointly organized this year. Two major innovations have been introduced for the upcoming events. The first innovation is the allocation of individual pavilions for each region. These pavilions aim to showcase each region’s unique tourism features to promote local tourism. The second innovation is the reintroduction of a biotope—a designated space for presenting some wild animals to attract visitors.
The events are slated to take place at the site of the Ouagadougou International Craft Fair (SIAO) under the theme “Promotion of Internal Tourism, a Factor of Resilience.” Niger has been chosen as the guest country of honor due to its security similarities with Burkina Faso, while the South-Central region is the event’s guest of honor at the regional level.
Mr. Tamini outlined the objectives of the two merged events, which include showcasing Burkina Faso’s tourist offerings to tour operators and the diaspora. Additional goals include increasing the visibility of Burkina Faso as a tourist destination on both African and international platforms and fostering partnerships and commercial relationships between African tourism professionals.
The agenda for the joint event comprises a wide range of activities, such as a popular cross-country race, thematic conferences and panels, an Educ’tour, and cultural events. The two tourism-related events have been merged this year after a 5-year suspension for SITHO and a 3-year hiatus for VITHRO.