What does East Africa’s effort to host AFCON teach us about collaboration and sports tourism?

Today, with the world looking a lot better than half a century ago, post-apartheid Namibia and South Africa, along Zimbabwe, are readying to co-host the 2027 men’s Cricket World Cup (in 12 cities, including a field overlooking the wondrous Mosi-oa-Tunya) – set to unlock a billion dollars in economic activity and support 27,000 jobs.

With AFCON set for East Africa, slices of the region, from Nairobi’s Karura Forest and the story of Wangari Mathaai or Eldoret’s landscape, will be beamed to millions of households in Algeria and Angola as well as Brazil, China, Germany and beyond.

For her part, UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais reminded the World Sports Tourism Congress of sports’ ability to put nations on the map and build a legacy, including finding a home, in Africa – prestigious and large races, runners’ stories (in the form of museums and home-made films).