By Damilola Adeyera
“To make tourism happen, weave it around your culture”—Otunba Wanle Akinboboye
Data from TravelWeek revealed that in 2025, Europe recorded 793 million international tourist arrivals; Asia and the Pacific welcomed 331 million international tourist arrivals; the Americas had 218 million international tourist arrivals; the Middle East had nearly 100 million international tourist arrivals; and Africa received 81 million international visitors.
Although Europe remains the world’s largest tourism destination by a wide margin, the data shows Africa grew 8% in 2025 compared with the previous year. According to Business Insider, Africa’s tourism growth is driven by better access, stronger destination branding, and rising demand for both regional and niche travel.
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Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye’s Afro-Tourism philosophy can be credited with the growth rate Africa is experiencing. For over forty years, through La Campagne Tropicana Beach and Forest Resort and all his various initiatives, Otunba Olawanle’s message for an African-themed luxury has remained consistent.
He founded La Campagne Tropicana Beach and Forest Resort in 1984. The 80s were an era when many African tourism destinations were curated to imitate Europe or North America. African traditional and cultural heritage was thrown into the wind. Rather than follow this “colonial mentality,” as the great Fela Anikulapo Kuti would sing, Otunba Olawanle decided to weave tourism around African culture.
To begin, he asked himself many profound questions. One of which was, “How can African tourism become more authentic to itself?” His answer was simple yet thoughtful: “Africa is not only a destination; it is an invitation to experience elegance with identity.”
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What is Afro-Tourism? Otunba Olwanle Akinboboye’s School of Thought defines Afro-Tourism as a true African luxury that blends world-class comfort with the soul of the continent. A luxury experience where every journey should connect the traveler to Africa’s beauty, heritage, and culture. Simply put, he believes that to travel to Africa in luxury is to discover a continent where prestige and tradition meet.
This vision and philosophy gave birth to La Campagne Tropicana Beach and Forest Resort, an African-themed hospitality with modern luxury. The resort is a place where tourism is more than leisure. For Otunba Akinboboye, tourism is a form of cultural exchange.
The Afrotourism philosophy of Otunba Akinboboye is based on the idea that luxury does not have to look like the West. He believes that Africa has its own kind of beauty, hospitality, building style, music, food, and spirituality that can stand alone, be celebrated, and be enjoyed.
La Campagne Tropicana has this philosophy in mind. Traditional patterns, native buildings, African-styled rooms, food from the area, showcasing the culture through dance/singing, and the natural setting around all together make an experience that is through and through Africa’s soul. With a major highlight on African culture, Afro-tourism also highlights Africa’s natural environment.
Strategically located in the very spot where the Atlantic Ocean, freshwater lake, mangrove forest, and sandy beaches are all present, instead of wiping out nature with concrete, La Campagne Tropicana was designed to be a good neighbor to the environment around it.
Visitors to the resort are invited to appreciate Africa not as a destination defined by stereotypes, but as a civilization rich in creativity, diversity, and innovation. Afro-tourism philosophy’s talking point centers mainly on the inseparable relationship between African culture and the natural environment.
To make culture a live experience wherein culture is learned about not through museums or exhibitions, Afro-tourism allows tourists to experience culture in real time. The display of traditional dances, indigenous cuisines, local music, and local artistic expressions welcomes and gives tourists a taste of African hospitality.
Every meal, every performance, every conversation, and every architectural detail presents an immersive experience for tourists. Otunba Akinboboye’s philosophy inspires guests to be participants rather than onlookers.