Creatives Connect Afrika, the AfCFTA Tourism, Creatives and Cultural Industries Forum and Festival, will return to Accra for its second edition from November 30 to December 3, 2026, with organisers positioning entertainment as a strategic driver of tourism growth, trade in services and economic transformation across the continent.
Held under the theme “Entertainment-Led Tourism: Transforming Pan-African Creative Wealth into Global Economic Influence,” the four-day gathering will bring together policymakers, tourism leaders, creatives, investors, entertainment executives and entrepreneurs from across Africa and the diaspora at the Alisa Hotel North Ridge in Accra . The event is convened by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, in collaboration with Africa Tourism Partners (ATP) and the Black Star Experience (BSE) .
Building on Inaugural Success
The 2026 edition builds on the inaugural 2025 forum, held under the theme “Lights, Camera, Trade: Unlocking Africa’s Film, Fashion and Music Creative Industries under the AfCFTA.” That gathering brought together filmmakers, musicians, fashion designers, investors and development partners, generating recommendations on market access, mobility, investment, intellectual property protection, financing and regulatory cooperation .
The second edition broadens the conversation beyond individual creative sectors to examine the growing relationship between entertainment and tourism. Across the world, music festivals, film productions, sporting events, fashion weeks and digital content increasingly influence travel decisions and shape destination perceptions. Africa is well positioned to capitalise on this trend, with its creative industries attracting growing international audiences and commercial interest .
Four Days of Policy, Business and Culture
The 2026 programme will combine high-level policy dialogue with business, investment and cultural experiences. The opening day will feature an AfCFTA Trade in Services Masterclass, closed-door technical sessions and a Tourism Boards and Regulators Roundtable. Days two and three will focus on high-level policy dialogues and panel discussions .
A Film, Animation and Creative Content Festival will showcase animation and stop-motion productions, creative storytelling and digital content, while providing opportunities for discussions on film tourism, location marketing and content distribution. A Music, Sports and Entertainment Tourism Showcase will explore the role of live entertainment and sporting events in destination development, alongside wellness activities highlighting opportunities in lifestyle tourism .
The programme will also feature exhibitions, cultural showcases, business matchmaking and an investment forum designed to connect destinations, businesses, creatives and investors .
Addressing Barriers to Growth
Despite the rapid growth of Africa’s entertainment ecosystem, significant barriers remain, including limited access to finance, fragmented markets, restrictions on the movement of creative professionals, inadequate infrastructure and skills gaps. The forum will focus on identifying practical solutions relating to investment, mobility, market access, regulation and cross-border collaboration .
The AfCFTA provides a continental framework for advancing trade in services and strengthening cooperation between African markets. Through policy dialogue, business engagement and cultural showcases, Creatives Connect Afrika aims to help stakeholders translate the continent’s creative potential into sustainable economic opportunities .
Expected outcomes include new partnerships between tourism and entertainment stakeholders, enhanced investment prospects, increased visibility for African destinations and practical recommendations to strengthen tourism and entertainment services under the AfCFTA .
Continental Roadshows Build Momentum
Ahead of the main event, continental roadshows and promotional launches have been held in selected African cities to build participation and strengthen partnerships. The regional roadshow kicked off in Polokwane, South Africa, on the sidelines of the African Tourism Leadership Forum 2026, with further tours planned across East, West, Central and North Africa before the Accra finale .
Emily Mburu-Ndoria, Director of Trade in Services at the AfCFTA Secretariat, said the roadshows were designed to ensure the platform is built with the continent rather than simply presented to it. “We want to build it with the people it is intended to serve,” she said .
Event Details
· What: Creatives Connect Afrika – 2nd AfCFTA Tourism, Creatives and Cultural Industries Forum and Festival
· Theme: “Entertainment-Led Tourism: Transforming Pan-African Creative Wealth into Global Economic Influence”
· When: November 30 – December 3, 2026
· Where: Alisa Hotel North Ridge, Accra, Ghana
· Languages: English and French
· Organisers: AfCFTA Secretariat, Africa Tourism Partners (ATP), Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX), Black Star Experience (BSE), Office of Diaspora Affairs under the Office of the President of Ghana, and Ghana Tourism Authority
