Senegal is set to become the epicenter of African tourism this December as the country prepares to host the first-ever African Tourism Markets Fair (SMTA).
Organized by the Senegalese Agency for Tourism Promotion (ASPT) under the Ministry of Culture, Crafts and Tourism, the event will take place from December 8 to 11, 2025, on the esplanade of the Grand National Theater in Dakar, bringing together exhibitors and industry professionals from across the globe.
According to a press release by the agency, the event, based on the following concepts: Tourism, Air Transport, Culture and Artistic Crafts; aims to be a framework for exchange, innovation, and cooperation to position Senegal as a leading tourist destination and a strategic hub between African and international tourism stakeholders.
SMTA 2025 will bring together a wide range of participants: National Tourism Administration, travel agencies, tour operators, hoteliers, tour guides, airlines, public institutions, local authorities, academics, and investors, all united by the desire to promote competitive African tourism on the global tourism stage.
For this first edition, Morocco, Gabon, China, Gambia, Slovenia, and Turkey are expected as guest countries of honor.
On the program:
• Exhibitions of the overall tourism product
• Cultural activities
• Conferences, panels, and round tables
Through the SMTA, the ASPT reaffirms its ambition to enhance and diversify the Senegalese tourism offer, while strengthening regional and international synergies in service of the sector’s development.
