Koudougou: The Ministry of Tourism announced the 8th edition of the National Tourism Entrepreneur Award (PNET 2026), which will take place on October 22 and 23 in Koudougou. The event is designed to promote excellence among stakeholders in Burkina Faso's tourism sector, aiming to enhance the tourism appeal of the country's regions.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the Director General of Tourism, Monique Ouedraogo/Ilboudo, emphasized that the National Tourism Entrepreneur Award serves as a significant instrument for encouraging excellence within the tourism industry. The award aims to recognize the most successful contributors to the sector and to foster best practices, innovation, and professionalization among tourism professionals.
The event will feature the "Night of the Tourism Entrepreneur" on October 23, 2026, where thirty awards will be distributed. These will include official prizes, special prizes, and tribute trophies. Ms. Ouedraogo announced that registrations for the awards will be open from May 13 to June 15, 2026, at the Directorate General of Tourism and the regional directorates of the Ministry of Tourism. The financial rewards for the official prizes will range from 1 million to 1.5 million CFA francs, while special prizes will be valued at 1 million CFA francs, and commemorative trophies will carry a reward of 500,000 CFA francs.
The director of tourism industry development, Kadre Sawadogo, discussed several major innovations planned for this edition of the awards. He highlighted the reorganization of accommodation categories, distinguishing between 1- to 5-star hotels, utilitarian establishments, and furnished tourist accommodations to ensure a fairer evaluation of these structures.
Mr. Sawadogo also introduced new special prizes, such as the best female tourism entrepreneur award, the best young entrepreneur award, the green hotel award, and the "Master of the Land" award, the latter designed to promote Burkinabe gastronomy and stimulate creativity in the sector. In addition to the awards, PNET 2026 will feature a high-level panel on regional tourism development, tourist excursions, cultural activities, a popular cross-country race, and a training session focused on improving the quality of services, especially in terms of hygiene and infrastructure maintenance.