Tourism roadmap.. Will Angola succeed in its “green oil” bet? | economy

Luanda The “Angola Investment Summit 2026” kicked off in the Angolan capital, Luanda, on Thursday, with broad international participation that includes government leaders, investors, and global financial institutions.

The summit, organized in partnership with the World Tourism Forum, seeks to shed light on investment opportunities and sustainable development, in line with the government’s approach to positioning the tourism sector as a basic pillar for diversifying the national economy and reducing dependence on oil revenues.

Presidential vision and African integration

During the opening session of the forum Angolan President João Manuel Lourenço delivered – In the presence of the President of the Republic of Mozambique, Daniel Francisco Chapo – a welcome speech In it, he stressed his country’s commitment to adopting tourism as an “irreversible” strategic option to promote structural reforms and create sectors with double returns that generate job opportunities and wealth for local communities.

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

• The country has a coastline extending 1,600 kilometers.
• Environmental and cultural diversity in the country
• The state continues to make major investments to modernize the infrastructure, most notably the operation of the Dr. Antonio Agostinho Neto International Airport, the opening of the Palais des Congrès in Luanda, and the development of transportation and communications networks.

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

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

Flexible investment environment

For his part, Luanda Province Governor Luis Manuel Nunes explained that organizing this event reflects the state’s commitment to creating an attractive and flexible investment environment for partnerships between the public and private sectors, with the aim of providing new job opportunities, stimulating growth and raising the living standards of local families.

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

He pointed out that the tourism sector has become 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 that preceded the forum – the Secretary of State for Tourism in Angola, Augusto Kalikimala, confirmed that his country is currently working on modernizing its legislative and legal structure in coordination with the Ministry of Finance to create an attractive tax environment that guarantees the stability of private sector investments.

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

The minister cited the “Capulido” tourist area near the capital as a practical model, as the state pumped a budget of 250 million euros (about 286.4 million dollars) into its infrastructure at the beginning of this year, stressing that political stability and joint government financing represent major competitive advantages for Angola.

Practical steps

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

The CEO of the World Travel and 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 witnesses a significant step represented by 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.

In turn, the Secretary-General of the United Nations Tourism Organization, Sheikha Al Nowais, praised the strategic vision in Angola, which succeeded in paying attention to the tourism sector and transforming it from a mere marginal sector into a real engine of prosperity, transformation and national development, as she put it.

At the conclusion of her speech, Al Nowais stressed the commitment of the World Tourism Organization to provide full support to help bridge the investment gaps that the African continent suffers from, noting that Angola’s tourism slogan, “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. The discussion focused on mechanisms for integrating the tourism industry as a basic pillar in 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 in enhancing the country’s international position and attracting investments capable of transforming the natural and coastal components of the south of the continent into a lever of sustainable growth, despite the existing logistical challenges.

The summit is scheduled to conclude its work tomorrow, Friday, with the announcement of the “World Tourism Forum Institute Roadmap 2026-2030,” followed by specialized sessions to build real partnerships between developers and financiers.