By George M.O. Williams
Freetown, March 25, 2025—The Indian High Commission in Sierra Leone hosted a roundtable discussion at Lagoonda Hotel in Aberdeen, Freetown, engaging travel operators, tourists and stakeholders to fortify bilateral relations in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors. The dialogue focused on investment opportunities, enhancing tourism marketing, and addressing challenges related to Indian visa applications for tourism and medical travel.
Representatives from travel agencies, tourism operators, and the media participated in fruitful discussions on advancing collaboration between the two nations. Feedback was shared on ways to overcome existing hurdles and optimize travel facilitation.
Indian High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Shri Baisnab Charan Pradhan, highlighted the importance of strengthening travel and tourism ties, noting India’s robust tourism industry as a major contributor to economic growth. “India’s tourism sector is one of the largest employment-generating industries,” he said, emphasizing its positive impact on the economy.
Pradhan pointed out Sierra Leone’s significant potential for tourism growth, urging investment in infrastructure, marketing, and partnerships. He encouraged financial institutions and private sector stakeholders to support tourism initiatives through investments in hotels, transport, and recreational facilities.
Citing projections for India’s tourism industry, Pradhan shared expectations for a $248 billion GDP contribution by 2030, alongside $56 billion in foreign exchange earnings, 25 million international tourist arrivals, and $4 billion in domestic tourism revenue. He remarked that Sierra Leone could achieve similar progress with the right investments and policies, creating jobs and boosting national income.
Visa facilitation for Sierra Leoneans traveling to India emerged as a key topic during the discussions. Challenges and suggestions for streamlining the application process, particularly for tourism and medical travel, were explored. The High Commissioner assured attendees of his commitment to improving visa services for greater accessibility.
The dialogue symbolized a milestone in enhancing cooperation between India and Sierra Leone in tourism and hospitality. Plans for further initiatives were proposed to boost travel, investment, and cultural exchange between the two countries, laying the groundwork for strengthened bilateral relations.