African Tourism Card Launched in Nigeria but What Exactly is it?

The African Festival of Arts and Cultures as part of its effort to showcase Africa’s heritage has launched a discounts card themed: African Tourism Card (ATC) designed to promote Africa’s business sustainability, peace and unity.

Speaking during the unveiling ceremony in Abuja, the Nigerian representative, African Union, Economic, Social and Cultural Council and chairperson Social Affairs and Health Cluster, Dr. Tunji Asaolu, said, recognising culture as one of the strong components to integrate Africa by bringing together what polities have separated, the card will serve as catalyst to revive the culture and tourism sector in the continent.

Asaolu said, “it is time we promote what we have instead of been indirect slaves to the developed world. ATC is not transferable; it is valid for 5 years.

“African festival for arts and culture is one of our own and it is an instrument that will aid fast integration of Africa and promote culture and tourism.

“As an African I have been concerned about the unity and development of Africa and I key into any project that is unifying in Africa. It is an initiative that is home made and locally developed and the first time in this region,” he said.

Asaolu stated further that ATC will help promote the business of all sector of culture and tourism in Africa, as it is not a cash card but when presented any registered outlets, such tourist gets an instant discount on goods and services.

The managing director and CEO of Tagged Technologies Limited, the brain behind the project, Dr. Daniel Omofoman while presenting the card said the discounts card provide tourist with various offers on purchases within Africa.

“The card will not only help increase traffic to the tourism sector of the continent but will also increase customer traffic and patronage to discount outlets such as hotels, restaurants, gyms, stores, hair saloons, barbershops, car hire service companies among several others.

“What we are doing today is launching a tool that will make an hotelier do his business and give back to those who are their customer. It will make flight ticket around Africa affordable to tourists and by doing this we create a common market and enhancing African union system to create continental free trade zone.

“Whatever we do as African, this is one thing that will bring us together, it is unique because our tourism and culture will grow, as we speak now there are 28 representatives of the African Festival of Arts and Culture who will pick from this and promote what we do. With this card you earn points by going to local tourism and to give all the local tourism a new life,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, the head, technical and Secretary Governing Board, African Festival of Arts and Culture, Dr. Kenechukwu Aloefuna said, “we sat down to look at what it will take for African transaction to grow and African business people to understand and appreciate themselves, then give back to the society by promoting consumerism and we decided to take it from the point of tourism.

What is the African Tourism Card (ATC)

The African Tourism Card and Discount Loyalty programme is a collaborative initiative of the Federation of African Festival for Arts and Culture (FAFAC - AU-ECOSSOC Nigeria) and TAGGED Technologies Ltd, to offer discounts and loyalty points on purchases of goods and services from accredited / registered discount outlets within Africa.

The ATC can be purchased at accredited sales points. It comes with information of how it can be activated and list of accredited outlets where the card holder can redeem the various discounts on offer. This list is updated regularly on the African Tourism Card website and can be sent to the ATC holder’s email as a newsletter.

The discount program, using technology, allows registered outlets to authenticate the validity of African Tourism Cards presented to them and then to offer various discounts on purchases made based on the seller’s discretion.

Types of Accredited Discount Outlets

• Hotels and Resort
• Restaurants
• Lounge and Bars
• Hair and Beauty Salons (Male and Female)
• Car Hire and Transport Companies
• Pharmacies and Stores
• Spa and Wellness Centres
• Gymnasium

 Features of the ATC Card

The ATC can be purchased at accredited sales vendors .

At the purchase of ATC, it comes with information for the list of accredited outlets where the card holder can redeem the various discounts on offer.

This list is updated regularly on the website and can be sent to the ATC holder’s email as a newsletter.

The ATC is not linked to any holder’s bank account or ATM card and cannot be used for any financial transactions. It can only be used to receive discounts from Discount Outlets. The ATC is valid for Five (5) years.

Africantourismcard.com and blueprint.ng contributed to this report.