The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs has convened a high-level meeting with executives from the tourism, hospitality, and creative industries at the Dove’s Nest, Aberdeen, Freetown, to chart a new course for sector development.

The purpose of the meeting was to address issues related to the formation of the National Federation and to enhance the private sector’s critical role in the upcoming series of events.

The Secretary General of the Transitional Leadership Committee (TLC), Mr Abdul Karim Jalloh, in his brief statement on behalf of the executive, presented the recategorised list of various stakeholder associations under the federation. The various categories include: The Association of Small-Scale Enterprises in Tourism (ASSET), the Association of Entertainers (AE),  Association of Creative Tourism Services (ACTS), Tourism Transportation Association (TAT), Association of Accommodations (AHA), Hospitality Association of Service Providers (HASP), Tourism Business Owners and Investment Network (TBOIN), Association of Tourism and Hospitality Professionals (ATHOP), Association Of Community-Based Tourism Organisations (ACTO), and the Tourism Civil Society Organisations and Media Platforms (CSOs in Tourism)

Director of Tourism Mohamed Jalloh reviewed previous commitments and unveiled a calendar of activities including the finalisation of the Federation’s constitution, the setup of the Electoral Committee, the election and the inauguration of the Executives running from August 5 to September 25, 2026. He emphasised strict adherence to timelines and flagged the upcoming Federation Elections in September as a priority requiring proactive attention.

In her keynote, Minister Nabeela Farida Tunis urged the executive members of the respective stakeholder groups in attendance to move past historical challenges and capitalise on recent achievements, particularly the new legal framework underpinning the sector. She described the instrument as a “transformative tool” and called for innovative, forward-thinking approaches.

Madam Tunis highlighted the proposed activity calendar as a strategic guide, encouraging members to refine it collectively. She pressed for visionary leadership, collaborative decision-making, and bold ideas to position tourism, hospitality, and the creative industries as engines of economic diversification and job creation.

Permanent Secretary Judith C  Jones , who welcomed participants, stressed that decisions taken would be pivotal in shaping the industries’ future. She urged members to embrace collective responsibility and deliver tangible outcomes that strengthen tourism’s role in national progress.

Comments, suggestions, questions, answers and contributions by executive representatives from the tourism sectors formed key highlights of the meeting.

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