Interim tourism minister announces innovations to boost sector.

Minister Mbairobe made the declarations in Yaounde yesterday while chairing the closing ceremony of the first edition of the Cameroon National Tourism Week. Yesterday’s event was also to marked by the commemoration of the 2026 World Tourism Day in Cameroon

He said both innovations are to further boost the tourism sector as one of the key areas driving Cameroon’s development.

Winners of the Artificial Intelligence Innovation Competition, organised by the ministry as part of the National Tourism Week were announced during the event. 

The first prize winner bagged home a sum of 1.5 million FCFA while the runner up and the third-placed candidates received a million and 500,000 FCFA respectively.

The scheme aimed at identifying and recognizing the best Cameroonian startups developed with on-ground technology solutions that can be used to promote the tourism sector.

Gov’t announces innovations 

Minister Mbairobe said the announced innovations fall in line with the commitment of the government and speaks to the State’s objective of exploring tourism not just as a leisure activity but a powerful lever of growth, employment, inclusion, balanced land development and the revival of the nation. 

He said alternating hosting of the National Tourism Week will make host regions to become the country’s touristic capital. He challenged stakeholders concerned to immediately get to work to ensure that the two new programme are successful. 

Successful National Tourism Week

Minister Mbairobe also lauded the successful organisation of the maiden edition of the National Tourism Week which was marked by an excursion, conferences, a gastronomic night, a sports walk, a tourism fair, an AI innovation competition and several other events.

He said the project enabled the ministry to in line with the directives of President Biya, review steps to modernize the sector’s productive apparatus, enhance its immense potential in the changing contemporary world.

“The excursion has reaffirmed our commitment to green tourism, the protection of biodiversity and the appreciation of our natural spaces,” he stated about the excursion during which stakeholders visited the Mefou Park in the Nyong and So’o Division of the Centre Region.

He said the activity reminded stakeholders that the preservation of the “ecological heritage is not a threat to development, but one of its sustainability conditions”.

AI innovation competition futuristic

Minister Mbairobe saluted the AI innovation competition as a scheme that restates Cameroon’s stance as a country that refuses to be a mere spectator in the ongoing technological revolution. 

He said the initiative is aimed at encouraging young people to grab opportunities offered by the digital economy, including in the tourism sector which also requires investments in the areas of technology for further growth.

“If we are not careful, the visibility of destinations will be increasingly determined by those who control the underlying technologies, potentially widening the gap between those who share the roles of the digital space and those who are subject to them,” Mbairobe said.

He said the country sees Artificial Intelligence and digital technologies as a historic opportunity to bridge international visibility gap, integrate previously fragmented booking and payment systems and offer immersive high-value experiences.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3924 of Tuesday September 29, 2026