As ITB Berlin 2026 brings together the global travel industry in the German capital, Angola is using the platform to build momentum around its tourism investment strategy ahead of the Global Tourism Forum to be held in Luanda from 7 to 9 May 2026.
The announcement was highlighted during a Leaders Dinner in Berlin organised by the World Tourism Forum Institute in partnership with the Angolan Ministry of Tourism, bringing together ministers, ambassadors, investors and tourism executives to discuss Angola’s growing role as an emerging tourism destination in Africa.
Tourism at the heart of Angola’s economic diversification
Angola has long relied heavily on oil exports, but the government is now accelerating efforts to diversify the national economy. Tourism has been identified as one of the sectors capable of generating employment, attracting international investment and supporting regional development.
Speaking during the Berlin event, Angola’s Minister of Tourism, Márcio Daniel, underlined that the country is entering a new phase in its tourism development strategy.
“Angola is entering a new phase in which tourism potential is being translated into concrete business opportunities,” Daniel said. “We have a clear strategy, structured projects and a strong institutional commitment to build long term partnerships with international investors.”
The minister reiterated the concept he recently described to Travel Tomorrow at ITB Berlin, presenting tourism as Angola’s “green oil”, a sustainable economic driver capable of creating jobs while protecting the country’s natural and cultural heritage.
Investment framework designed to attract international capital
A key moment of the Berlin gathering was the presentation of the tourism investment guidelines titled Tourism Doing Business – Investing in Angola, developed with the technical support of UN Tourism.
The publication offers international investors a comprehensive overview of Angola’s tourism potential and identifies concrete projects across several priority sectors, including ecotourism, nature tourism, coastal development, hotel infrastructure and resort investment.
By providing detailed information on project locations, legal frameworks and partnership models, the guidelines aim to reduce uncertainty for investors and facilitate foreign direct investment into Angola’s tourism sector.
“Angola is not only presenting potential. We are presenting structure and planning,” Daniel said. “The opportunities are clearly identified and we are ready to develop strong and mutually beneficial partnerships.”
Global investors exploring tourism opportunities
The Berlin Leaders Dinner also featured the signing of several memoranda of understanding between the Government of Angola and international companies interested in tourism development opportunities across the country.
The agreements cover cooperation in areas such as infrastructure development, transport, energy related tourism projects and the creation of internationally branded resort properties.
These initiatives reflect growing international confidence in Angola’s tourism ambitions and signal a shift from promotion to implementation, with public investment in infrastructure complemented by private sector participation in hospitality development.
Tourism as a platform for investment and connectivity
Opening the evening, Bulut Bağcı, President of the World Tourism Forum Institute, emphasised that tourism today must be understood not only as a visitor economy but also as a driver of investment, connectivity and long term economic value.
“Tourism today is not only about visitors. It is about investment, infrastructure, connectivity and trust,” Bağcı said. “Angola is ready to build long term partnerships with the global private sector to turn potential into measurable impact.”
The event gathered representatives from governments, international institutions and the private sector, illustrating the growing interest in Angola’s tourism development strategy and its investment opportunities.
From Berlin to Luanda
The momentum generated during ITB Berlin is expected to continue in the coming months as Angola prepares to host the Global Tourism Forum Investment Summit in Luanda from 7 to 9 May 2026.
The summit will bring together tourism ministers, international hotel groups, infrastructure developers, tour operators and financial institutions to explore investment opportunities and strengthen public private partnerships in the sector.
Angola’s tourism proposition is based on a combination of extraordinary natural assets and new investment frameworks. The country offers dramatic landscapes ranging from the Namibe Desert to the spectacular Kalandula Falls, more than 1,650 kilometres of Atlantic coastline and vast wildlife ecosystems connected to the Kavango Zambezi conservation region.
With improved infrastructure, increasing international connectivity and a growing pipeline of tourism projects, Angola is seeking to position itself as one of Africa’s emerging tourism destinations.
