Tourist roadmap. Will Angola succeed in the “green oil” bet?

Angolan President João Manuel Lourenço speaks at the Angola Investment Summit (Al Jazeera)

Presidential Vision and African Integration

During the opening session of the forum, Angolan President João Manuel Lourenço, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Mozambique, Daniel Francisco Chapo, delivered a welcome speech in which he reiterated his country’s commitment to embracing tourism as an “irreversible” strategic option to promote structural reforms and create multiplier sectors that generate jobs and wealth for local communities.

The Angolan President reviewed the elements that qualify Angola to compete internationally, pointing out:

• The country has a coastline that stretches for 1600 kilometers.
• Environmental and cultural diversity in the country
• The UAE continues to invest in major infrastructure modernization, foremost of which is the operation of the “Dr. Antonio Agostino Nieto” International Airport, the opening of the Conference Palace in Luanda, and the development of transport and communication networks.

At the regional level, the Angolan President stressed the importance of African integration and the development of common infrastructure, such as the liberalization of the inter-regional airspace and the facilitation of the movement of people and goods, to enhance the competitiveness of African tourism, which has grown significantly in 2025.

He reiterated his country’s welcome to foreign investments based on common interests, stressing that international security and stability are the main pillar of development.

Flexible investment environment

Luanda Provincial Governor Luis Manuel Nunes said the event reflects the country’s commitment to creating an attractive and flexible investment environment for public-private partnerships, with the aim of creating new job opportunities, stimulating growth and raising the living standards of local families.

In the context of the executive measures, Angolan Minister of Tourism Marcio de Jesus López Daniel announced investments of more than 500 million euros (about $573 million) to develop integrated infrastructure in the most prominent tourist destinations.

He pointed out that the tourism sector has turned into a national economic priority and a strategic bet, calling on investors to seize the promising opportunities in this emerging sector.

In statements to Al Jazeera Net during a press conference before the forum, the Secretary of State for Tourism in Angola, Augusto Callekimala, confirmed that his country is currently updating its legislative and legal structure in coordination with the Ministry of Finance to create an attractive tax environment that ensures the stability of private sector investments.

Kalikimala added that the government is adopting an integrated partnership program based on “joint investment”, where the state has committed to the development of basic infrastructure in tourist areas (roads, energy, communications, sewage).

The minister cited the tourist area of Kapolido near the capital as a practical model, where the country poured a budget of 250 million euros (about $286.4 million) into its infrastructure at the beginning of this year, stressing that political stability and co-financing are key competitive advantages for Angola.

Practical steps

For his part, the President of the World Tourism Forum, Bolut Bagci, described the event as the inauguration of a new phase and an unprecedented chapter of dialogue, partnership and investment in Africa, stressing that Angola is living in a historic moment that qualifies it to become a leading regional hub for tourism and investment.

The CEO of the World Travel & Tourism Council, Gloria Guevara, also spoke about the importance of tourism and the prosperity it can bring to Angola and the continent in general.

The summit is witnessing a significant step in the official launch of the comprehensive investment guide entitled “Doing Tourism Business: Investing in Angola”, with the aim of facilitating the flow of external capital and providing a reliable legislative environment.

For her part, UNWTO Secretary-General Sheikha Al-Nowais praised the strategic vision in Angola, which has succeeded in paying attention to the tourism sector and transforming it from a mere marginal sector to a real engine of prosperity, transformation and national development.

In conclusion, Al-Noais reiterated UNWTO’s commitment to provide full support to help bridge the investment gaps plaguing the African continent, noting that Angola’s tourism slogan “The Pulse of Life” resonates today among major investors, business leaders and travelers around the world.

This was followed by a “Presidential Dialogue” moderated by CNN with the participation of the President of the Republic of Mozambique, Daniel Francisco Chapo, and the discussion focused on mechanisms to integrate the tourism industry as a key pillar of national economic strategies to achieve sustainable development and diversify sources of income.

Observers and economists in Luanda believe that the timing of the forum is of great importance to enhance the country’s international positioning and attract investments capable of transforming the natural and coastal elements of the south of the continent into a lever of sustainable growth, despite the existing logistical challenges.

The summit is set to conclude on Friday with the announcement of the “UNWTF Institute Roadmap 2026-2030”, followed by specialized sessions to build real partnerships between developers and financiers.