Editing ECOWAS (section)

==Tourism==
In 2019, ECOWAS unveiled its Ecotour Action Plan 2019 – 2029. It focuses on tourism heritage protection and development and on the development of standards, regulations, and control systems.<ref>[http://westafricatourism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ECOWAS-Regional-Tourism-Policy-Action-Plan-2019-2029.pdf ECOWAS Regional Tourism Action Plan] ''westafricatourism.com'' {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504111923/http://westafricatourism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/ECOWAS-Regional-Tourism-Policy-Action-Plan-2019-2029.pdf|date=4 May 2021}}</ref><ref>[http://www.ecowas.int/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Final-Communiqu%C3%A9_55th-Summit_Abuja_29-June-2019-1.pdf ECOWAS ECOTOUR] (PDF). {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603122325/https://www.ecowas.int/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Final-Communiqu%c3%a9_55th-Summit_Abuja_29-June-2019-1.pdf|date=3 June 2020}}. ''www.ecowas.int''.</ref><ref>[http://apanews.net/en/news/ecowas-to-promote-regional-development-through-tourism ECOWAS to promote regional development through tourism] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504111923/http://apanews.net/en/news/ecowas-to-promote-regional-development-through-tourism |date=4 May 2021 }} ''apanews.net''</ref> The plan includes five programs for implementation, and detailed mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation. [[Ecotourism]] is not specifically developed, yet it has been mentioned that the program has the opportunity to create linkages between institutions and stakeholder collaboration to suit ecotourism projects that prioritize community, biodiversity, and socioeconomics.<ref>[https://trade4devnews.enhancedif.org/en/op-ed/west-africas-ecotourism-initiative-last-chance-protect-african-biodiversity West Africa's (eco)tourism initiative: Last chance to protect African biodiversity] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504111930/https://trade4devnews.enhancedif.org/en/op-ed/west-africas-ecotourism-initiative-last-chance-protect-african-biodiversity |date=4 May 2021}} ''trade4devnews.enhancedif.org''</ref> The Ecotour Plan prioritizes local development, especially in generating skilled and unskilled jobs for marginalized individuals, and aims to make the ECOWAS region a first-class tourist destination in Africa.<ref name=":6">{{cite news |id={{ProQuest|2232643790}} |title=ECOWAS to promote regional development through tourism |agency=Agence de Presse Africaine |date=31 May 2019}}</ref> During its creation, ECOWAS ministers also called on ecotourism programs to protect threatened biodiversity in the [[Guinean Forests of West Africa|Guinean Forests]], which span into seven ECOWAS member states. Similar to the Free Movement of People Protocol, Ecotour aims to integrate aviation and ground transportation. ECOWAS hopes that this regional approach will allow states to fight against [[COVID-19 pandemic in West Africa|pandemics such as COVID-19]] to restore tourism and ecosystems. Ecotour works to create increasing returns to its members' economies by lowering transport costs, developing hospitality training centers and creating a more integrated use of digital technology.<ref>{{Cite web |title=West Africa's (eco)tourism initiative: Last chance to protect African biodiversity |url=https://trade4devnews.enhancedif.org/en/op-ed/west-africas-ecotourism-initiative-last-chance-protect-african-biodiversity |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=trade4devnews.enhancedif.org |language=en |archive-date=4 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504111930/https://trade4devnews.enhancedif.org/en/op-ed/west-africas-ecotourism-initiative-last-chance-protect-african-biodiversity |url-status=live}}</ref>

As of March 2023, Council members mentioned that phases one and two of the Ecotour Action Plan have come to an end and that the community is moving into phase three and four, which focuses on the development of tourist accommodations establishments, and a proposal for a regional mechanism to enforce tourist regulations. By the end of phase five, ECOWAS hopes to have unified accommodations in hotels, ecolodges, motels, [[apart hotel]]s, and hostels. In April 2023, tourism experts met to amend the new text for tourist accommodations in the ECOWAS region.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Limited |first=Daniel Inaju-Challydoff |title=Tourism Experts from West Africa to Meet in Lome {{!}} Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) |url=https://ecowas.int/tourism-experts-from-west-africa-to-meet-in-lome/ |access-date=2023-11-18 |language=en |archive-date=2 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802172348/https://ecowas.int/tourism-experts-from-west-africa-to-meet-in-lome/ |url-status=live}}</ref> This phase is critical to the success of the Ecotour plan as the lack of a regulatory system has been a barrier to the development of the tourism sector, despite its ability to increase member states' economies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Report |first=Africa Hotel |date=2023-04-01 |title=ECOWAS Commission Develops New Regulations for Tourist Accommodation in West Africa |url=https://africahotelreport.com/ecowas-sets-new-tourist-accommodation-regulations-in-africa/ |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=Stay Up-to-Date with the Latest News and Updates in the Hospitality Industry |language=en-US |archive-date=28 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231128212014/https://africahotelreport.com/ecowas-sets-new-tourist-accommodation-regulations-in-africa/ |url-status=live}}</ref> During this conference, ministers improved the tourism industry by adopting standards for hotel services. Mrs. Massandjé Toure-Liste, the ECOWAS Commission's Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, pointed out the improvements in the tourist sector due to the [[African Continental Free Trade Area]], a trade agreement signed by 44 members of the [[African Union]] which creates a single market for goods and services. Mrs. Toure-Liste praised the trade area for providing development opportunities, economic growth, and boosting regional integration.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ECOWAS ministers boost the tourism industry with the adoption of new standards for hotel services |url=https://www.trademarkafrica.com/news/ecowas-ministers-boost-the-tourism-industry-with-the-adoption-of-new-standards-for-hotel-services/ |access-date=2023-11-18 |website=TradeMark Africa |language=en-US |archive-date=18 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118003443/https://www.trademarkafrica.com/news/ecowas-ministers-boost-the-tourism-industry-with-the-adoption-of-new-standards-for-hotel-services/ |url-status=live}}</ref>