Presented our Vision to promote Africa not as a single destination, but as 54 Authentic and Distinct Tourism Identities
Rome, May 16, 2025
The Hive Hotel in Rome successfully hosted the central day of the Africa-Europe Tourism Exchange Forum 2025 (AETEF), an international event dedicated to strengthening the dialogue between Africa and Europe through tourism as a driver of economic growth, cultural cooperation, and sustainable development.
Easy Diplomacy brought to AETEF 2025 its Country Promotion and Development Strategies, designed to enhance emerging destinations in the Italian and European markets with two key objectives: to generate consistent tourist flows and to strengthen the international Image of each country.
In her speech, Eloisa Piermaria, founder of Easy Diplomacy, stated: “We cannot speak of Africa as if it were a single country. We are talking about 54 nations, over 3,000 ethnic groups, and more than 2,000 languages across over 30 million square kilometres: an extraordinary cultural and identity-based diversity still waiting to be discovered and valued.”
Highlighting the key role of institutions in supporting real change, Piermaria outlined an integrated approach to territorial marketing based on three strategic pillars:
- Defining an authentic identity for each country, overcoming the misconception that sees Africa as a single destination;
- Preparing the territory and services to meet the expectations of European tourists: infrastructure, hospitality, cultural and natural experiences;
- Targeted communication and emotional storytelling to rewrite the narrative of the continent — not just nature and safaris, but also culture, history, and modernity.
She then presented three emblematic case studies: Côte d’Ivoire, Iraq, and Honduras.
Diaspora Tourism
AETEF 2025, inaugurated with a message from Charles Gyamfi, President of the Ghana Tourism Federation, featured high-level institutional representatives from Zambia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Lesotho, and Ethiopia. Among them was Hon. Senator Tony Iwobi, former Vice President of the Special Committee on Human Rights and the Foreign Affairs Committee, who opened the forum with a speech on Sustainable Tourism and the Diaspora.
The Senator emphasized the value of diaspora tourism as a tool for rediscovering one’s roots and contributing to the sustainable development of one’s homeland. Diaspora tourism is a form of travel where individuals visit countries or places connected to their ethnic, cultural, or familial origins. In essence, they are journeys taken to rediscover one’s identity, reconnect with ancestral lands, or nurture cultural and emotional bonds.
Many people of African descent in the United States and the Caribbean take part in journeys to Africa — visiting Ghana, Nigeria, or Senegal — as a way to reconnect with their history and identity, in what is often called a “homecoming.”
Alongside plenary sessions and panels with tourism operators from Italy, Germany, and Nigeria — with the participation of Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir — the Forum also hosted networking sessions, cultural project presentations, and the AfrI-Euro Tourism Awards 2025 Gala, celebrating excellence in the sector.
Easy Diplomacy extends its thanks to Global Ambassador Michelina Sanquest, Forum Co-convener Amb. Kazeen Balogun, CEO of Kalo Africa Media, and all the speakers for their enthusiasm and trust.
The event celebrated Africa’s diversity and paved the way for new tourism and cultural partnerships.
Easy Diplomacy’s Mission
Easy Diplomacy’s Mission continues alongside governments and institutions committed to tackling change with courage and determination, building lasting bridges between the two continents, and promoting inclusive, sustainable tourism that generates value and peace.
At AETEF 2025, we did our part: raising awareness, embracing the message, and setting a course. When you recognize yourself in a message and find answers to questions you’ve been carrying inside for a long time, there’s only one step left: take action.
And so, by the end of the event, no one said, “We’re waiting for you in Africa.” They said something truer, more direct, more personal: “Come to Lesotho. Visit Zambia. We’re waiting for you in Nigeria. Welcome to Ethiopia.” Because each of them has something unique that belongs to them — and they can’t wait to share it with the world.
We at Easy Diplomacy are here with vision and concrete action: to build bridges, create opportunities, and shine a light on the lands and cultures of a continent whose geographical borders we have mapped in Europe — but whose 54 Unique, Authentic, Distinct Beauties are still waiting to be truly discovered.
