Abstract
This reflexive academic study critically examines the transformation of Liberia’s tourism sector following the enactment of the Liberia National Tourism Authority (LNTA) Act of 2025. Drawing on personal field observations and policy analysis, it explores the historical underperformance of Liberian tourism, marked by foreign-dominated management, poor service standards, and the absence of regulatory enforcement. The study argues that the LNTA represents a pivotal opportunity to rebuild the sector on firm foundations through policy development, human-capital investment, and inclusive public-private-community partnerships. Comparative insights from The Gambia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Ghana underscore the importance of coherent policy frameworks, quality assurance, and authentic cultural branding. The paper concludes that Liberia must prioritise “getting the foundation right” — institutionalising standards, empowering Liberians, and positioning the LNTA as the rebirth of a truly Liberian-led tourism industry capable of translating potential into performance.
1.0 Introduction
Tourism has long been recognised as one of the world’s most powerful engines for economic growth, employment, and cultural diplomacy. Yet, in Liberia, the sector has historically remained under-developed despite its abundant natural beauty, unique history, and strategic Atlantic coastline. The enactment of the Liberia National Tourism Authority (LNTA) Act of 2025 represents a watershed moment—a legal and institutional transformation designed to reposition tourism as a pillar of national reconstruction and sustainable growth (DN News Liberia, 2025; FrontPage Africa, 2025).
As a tourism and hospitality professional who has visited Liberia repeatedly over the years, I have observed both the enormous potential of the destination and the depth of its structural weaknesses. From high-end hotels managed largely by foreign nationals to roadside restaurants lacking basic hygiene standards, the same systemic problem is evident: Liberia has not yet built the human and institutional capacity required to deliver a consistent, quality tourism experience. The LNTA Act offers a chance to correct these long-standing deficiencies through a deliberate, Liberian-led process of quality assurance, skills development, and authentic product creation.
This reflexive academic study therefore analyses the evolution of Liberia’s tourism sector, assesses the implications of the 2025 Act, and proposes a practical, inclusive roadmap for implementation. It is grounded in policy review, field observations, and comparative analysis with West African peers such as Ghana and The Gambia, framed within a reflexive lens that integrates personal experience with scholarly reasoning.
2.0 Historical Background: Tourism and Hospitality in Liberia
Liberia’s tourism story mirrors its wider national journey—from early promise to prolonged stagnation. During the 1960s and 1970s, the country enjoyed relative prosperity and was considered one of West Africa’s leading leisure destinations. Iconic establishments such as the Ducor Palace Hotel in Monrovia symbolised elegance and modernity, welcoming global elites and business travellers (AllAfrica, 2014). The nation’s tropical coastline, rich cultural tapestry, and links to the African-American diaspora positioned it favourably within the regional tourism circuit.
However, the civil conflicts from 1989 to 2003 decimated this progress. Infrastructure collapsed, investment evaporated, and Liberia’s image shifted from a “land of liberty” to a post-conflict reconstruction zone. Tourism was subsumed under the Ministry of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism (MICAT), where it received minimal funding and limited policy direction (Governance Commission, 2013). The absence of an autonomous tourism authority meant fragmented leadership and poor coordination among stakeholders.
Several international interventions attempted to revive the sector. The Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) supported Liberia’s National Export Strategy on Tourism (2016–2020), emphasising policy reform, community participation, and product diversification (Trade4DevNews, 2025). Yet momentum waned because the country lacked the institutional backbone to sustain implementation. As Padmore (2025) argued, Liberia’s “latecomer’s edge” could become an advantage only if structural foundations—skills, policy, and marketing—were firmly established.
By 2020, the hospitality landscape was dominated by expatriate managers—Lebanese, Indian, and other West African nationals—reflecting deep localisation gaps. Few Liberians occupied senior hotel roles, and most service staff lacked formal training or certification. The standards deficit trickled down from major establishments to small eateries and roadside restaurants, where hygiene, customer care, and safety were often neglected. In my visits to Monrovia, Robertsport, and Gbarnga, I found that even properties marketed as “international hotels” often failed basic service audits. This chronic skills shortage and absence of regulation rendered the system fundamentally unprepared to receive international tourists.
3.0 Present Context: The LNTA Act of 2025 and the ARREST Agenda
The formal ratification of the Liberia National Tourism Authority Act on 1 May 2025 marked the culmination of over a decade of policy advocacy that began with the 2013 draft Act (Governance Commission, 2013; Analyst Liberia, 2025). President Joseph Nyuma Boakai signed the legislation as part of his government’s ARREST Agenda—an integrated national framework focusing on Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism (K-News Online, 2025b). The Act formally separates tourism from MICAT, granting the new Authority full administrative and financial autonomy.
Under the law, the LNTA is mandated to:
- Promote and regulate the tourism industry;
- Enhance Liberia’s international image and brand;
- Develop human resources and ensure high service standards;
- Foster private-sector participation through partnerships; and
- Encourage community-based and environmentally sustainable tourism (DN News Liberia, 2025; FrontPage Africa, 2025).
A 90-day operational deadline was set for the Authority to establish its headquarters, recruit staff, and publish initial regulations (FrontPage Africa, 2025). The inaugural Board includes representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance, and Commerce, as well as private-sector actors and a Presidential Special Envoy on Tourism, Ambassador Christopher Hayes Onanuga (K-News Online, 2025a).
The timing of the Act aligns with wider enabling reforms. The Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) launched an e-Visa and visa-on-arrival system in March 2025, simplifying entry procedures for tourists and investors (LIS, 2025). Additionally, the U.S. The Department of State’s Investment Climate Statement for Liberia (2025) highlighted tourism as a priority diversification sector capable of attracting diaspora capital and SME foreign direct investment.
Despite these progressive developments, my on-ground observations reveal that the system remains largely unprepared to receive tourists at international standards. Airport processes, transport logistics, and accommodation networks continue to exhibit inefficiencies typical of post-conflict economies. The majority of hotels depend on foreign management and imported expertise, leading to significant revenue leakage (Forbes, 2025). Training institutions are minimal; there is no nationally accredited tourism curriculum; and customer-service quality varies dramatically. The country lacks a coherent national database of heritage assets or an operational grading system for accommodations.
In this context, the LNTA’s creation represents both opportunity and obligation. The Authority must simultaneously establish its internal governance and deliver visible sectoral impact. Its first challenge will be to convert legislative intent into functional systems—human resources, licensing, quality assurance, and data management—that can underpin Liberia’s tourism revival.
Yet beyond its institutional setup, the LNTA must get the foundation right. Liberia cannot afford to repeat the mistakes of nations that built their tourism industries on weak foundations and inconsistent policies. The Authority should therefore prioritise:
- Developing a National Tourism Policy and Master Plan anchored in the Act, setting a clear roadmap for sustainable growth, regulation, and promotion.
- Establishing vibrant sectoral associations—including hotel, restaurant, tour operator, and artisan federations—to champion standards, advocacy, and private investment.
- Creating non-governmental and professional bodies to represent community, youth, and women’s participation within the tourism ecosystem.
Liberia must learn from failed examples such as Nigeria, where overlapping institutions and poor standardisation have hindered progress, and instead emulate success stories like The Gambia, Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, Zanzibar, and the new wave of Ghana’s tourism resurgence driven by sound policy frameworks and cultural branding (Padmore, 2025; JetSetter Guide, 2025). Tourism thrives on first impressions, and Liberia will never have a second chance to make its first impression right. The establishment of the LNTA should therefore be seen not merely as bureaucratic reorganisation but as the rebirth of Liberian tourism—a decisive moment to rebuild from the ground up, with clear policies, credible leadership, empowered citizens, and authentic representation of Liberia’s identity.
4.0 Critical Reflection: Learning from the Gaps
Tourism success depends not on natural beauty but on structured preparation. Liberia’s deficiencies—human-capital weakness, lack of quality control, and foreign-dominated management—constitute systemic gaps that must be deliberately corrected if the LNTA is to fulfil its legislative mandate.
4.1 The Service and Skills Gap
Tourism is a service industry, and the customer experience is the product. Many hotel and restaurant employees lack formal training or exposure to service standards. Without accredited hospitality schools or national certification, inconsistency has become the norm—from the reception desk of a four-star hotel to the service counter of a roadside café (Padmore, 2025). This damages visitor satisfaction, repeat visitation, and destination reputation.
4.2 The Ownership and Management Gap
Foreign dominance in management—by Lebanese, Indian, and other expatriates—has created imbalance. While such investors contribute capital, their prevalence highlights limited localisation and significant revenue leakage (Forbes, 2025). True transformation demands deliberate empowerment of Liberians through training, access to finance, and leadership inclusion.
4.3 The Authenticity and Cultural Gap
Liberia’s historical and cultural identity—its coastal settlements, indigenous traditions, and diaspora connections—remains under-documented. Authentic storytelling must bridge culture and commerce; thus, the LNTA should prioritise heritage mapping and cultural promotion.
4.4 The Infrastructure and Enforcement Gap
Roads to major attractions remain unpaved, and regulatory enforcement inconsistent. The LNTA must use its licensing powers to establish a credible quality-assurance regime, ensuring all operators meet basic standards (FrontPage Africa, 2025).
5.0 The Way Forward: Building on the Act
The LNTA Act provides a strong legislative skeleton, but institutions thrive only when flesh—policy, partnerships, and practice—is added.
5.1 Policy Development and Institutional Framework
Formulate a National Tourism Policy aligned with the Act and ARREST Agenda, accompanied by a Tourism Master Plan, Licensing Regulations, Quality-Assurance Code, and Investment Promotion Strategy (DN News Liberia, 2025). These instruments convert law into operational clarity.
5.2 Strengthening Sectoral and Non-Sectoral Associations
Cultivate professional associations for hotels, tour operators, restaurants, transport, and artisans. Non-state actors—academia, NGOs, youth, women—should form part of this governance ecosystem, mirroring best practice in Kenya and The Gambia (JetSetter Guide, 2025).
5.3 Human-Capital and Service Quality Reform
Establish a National Tourism and Hospitality Training Institute within the first operational year. Mandatory certification for core roles will professionalise the workforce. Quality assurance must become both culture and regulation.
5.4 Public-Private-Community Partnership (PPC-P)
Adopt a PPC-P model that brings communities into ownership and governance, ensuring equitable revenue sharing—replicating successful approaches from Tanzania and Zanzibar (Padmore, 2025).
5.5 Investment Attraction and Destination Readiness
Design an Investment Prospectus highlighting projects such as eco-lodges in Sapo National Park, surf tourism in Robertsport, and heritage trails in Monrovia. Combine diaspora engagement, streamlined incentives, and reliable infrastructure. The e-Visa initiative (LIS, 2025) already signals openness.
5.6 Learning from Regional Lessons
Nigeria’s fragmented tourism governance offers a warning, whereas The Gambia, Kenya, and Ghana demonstrate how coherent branding and infrastructure yield success (Padmore, 2025).
6.0 Reflexive Discussion
From my engagements and visits, I see the LNTA as more than reform—it is national rebirth. Legislation alone cannot deliver transformation; leadership, funding, and standards are essential. Tourism development must embrace a triple-bottom-line: economic viability, sociocultural enrichment, and environmental stewardship. Liberia’s hospitality should evolve into a statement of national pride, defined by resilience, liberty, and community.
7.0 Conclusion
The passage of the LNTA Act 2025 is the most significant tourism milestone since independence. However, first impressions define destinations. Liberia must build strong foundations—policies, empowered citizens, and credible standards—before pursuing aggressive marketing. Getting it right the first time is non-negotiable; there is no second chance for a first impression. If Liberia builds patiently, deliberately, and authentically—learning from others yet guided by its own values—the LNTA will truly mark the rebirth of Liberian tourism, transforming promise into performance.
References (Harvard Style)
AllAfrica (2014) ‘A Critical Look at the Bureau of Tourism and the Proposed Agency’, available at: https://allafrica.com/stories/201412 (Accessed 7 October 2025).
Analyst Liberia (2025) ‘Tourism Stands Alone – Senate Concurred with HOR on Tourism Act’, available at: https://analystliberiaonline.com/tourism-stands-along (Accessed 7 October 2025).
DN News Liberia (2025) ‘Boakai Signs Liberia National Tourism Act, Appoints LNTA Board’, available at: https://dnnewsliberia.com/boakai-signs-liberia-national-tourism-act (Accessed 7 October 2025).
Forbes (2025) Saleem Ali, ‘Unlocking Liberia’s Sustainable Development Potential’, available at: https://forbes.com/sites/saleemali/2025/05/05/unlocking-liberias-sustainable-development-potential (Accessed 7 October 2025).
FrontPage Africa (2025) ‘Liberia: National Tourism Authority Faces 90-Day Deadline to Begin Operations’, available at: https://frontpageafricaonline.com/business/economy (Accessed 7 October 2025).
Governance Commission of Liberia (2013) ‘The Liberian National Tourism Authority Act of 2013’, available at: https://governancecommission.org/page_info.php (Accessed 7 October 2025).
JetSetter Guide (2025) ‘Liberia Launches Tourism Authority to Tap Regional Boom’, available at: https://jetsetterguide.com/news/liberia-launches-tourism-authority (Accessed 7 October 2025).
K-News Online (2025a) ‘Tourism Act Signed into Law by President Boakai: LNTA Established’, available at: https://knewsonline.com/tourism-act-signed (Accessed 7 October 2025).
K-News Online (2025b) ‘Liberia Establishes National Tourism Authority after Years of Delay’, available at: https://knewsonline.com/liberia-establishes-national-tourism-authority (Accessed 7 October 2025).
Liberia Immigration Service (LIS) (2025) ‘Launch of Liberia’s New Visa-on-Arrival and Re-entry Permit System’, available at: https://lis.gov.lr/visa (Accessed 7 October 2025).
Padmore, I. J. (2025) ‘Seize the Latecomer’s Edge: Liberia’s Tourism Transformation for a New Era’, Enjoy Liberia Travel Blog, available at: https://enjoyliberia.travel/blog/post/seize (Accessed 7 October 2025).
Trade4DevNews (2025) ‘Trade Strengthening Institutions and Tourism after Conflict in Liberia’, available
