BrainBehind AMAPRO Football Championship, Shogo Shodunnke was among the resource persons from Africa who spoke at the just concluded 2023 AfroSport Summit held in Accra, Ghana.
The Chief Executive Officer, CEO of Phreestyle Sport on Thursday in Accra Ghana, joined other stakeholders in the sports industries from Africa and beyond to chart the course on sports development in the continent at the event Organized by Africa Sports Center for Data, Research and Technology (ASC).
Shodunnke who spoke alongside Director General of Ghana Sports Authority, Professor Peter Twumasi and Mr. Akwasi Agyeman on the topic ‘Sports Tourism’ harped on the need for Africa to key in the enormous potentials therein Sports Tourism.
“I think Sports tourism is a growing trend all over the world, and it’s especially exciting to see it developing in Africa with few countries keying into it. But we need to do more as we are blessed with enormous potential to make it big”. He affirmed.
“There are so many unique and exciting sports to experience on the continent, from traditional African sports like Football, Basketball and Rugby to Athletics.
“Sports Tourism has the potential to be incredibly beneficial for Africa, both economically and in terms of raising the profile of the continent, However, it hasn’t been exploited to its full potential yet,” he said.
Shodunnke who is an alumnus of FIFA International University Network (CIES) in South Africa opined that Africa governments must support the initiative to boost sports tourism with needed infrastructure and funds.
“Infrastructure needs to be developed to make it easier for people to travel to and around the continent, marketing efforts need to be made to promote Africa as a sports tourism destination.
“For sports tourism to really take off in Africa, there needs to be a workforce that is knowledgeable and passionate about the industry”.
“This includes people like tour guides, hotel staff, and transportation workers, who can all play a role in providing a great experience for visitors. Education and training in the field of sports tourism is crucial to making this a success.
“Making good use of sports technocrats in the country is also essential. Brazil have been doing this by bringing back their sons and daughters who have knowledge in sports marketing, branding and administration so I think Africa should do the same”. He added.
The Africa Sports Center for Data, Research, and Technology (ASC) is a pioneer institution that aims to revolutionize the sports industry in Africa.
Through cutting-edge research, technology integration, and data-driven strategies, ASC strives to champion sustainable growth, talent development, and excellence in sports across the Africa continent.
This was the second edition of the 2-day event held at the International Conference Centre, Accra Ghana.