Home » AFRICA » Barcelona and DR Congo Partner to Boost Tourism with €40 Million Sponsorship Deal: A New Chapter in African Tourism Promotion
Friday, July 18, 2025
In an effort to raise awareness around DR Congo’s tourism potential, FC Barcelona, one of the most famous football clubs in the world, has signed a major sponsorship deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). In a €40 million agreement that will last four years, DR Congo’s tourism logo, which brands the country as the “Heart of Africa,” will be featured on the backs of training and warm-up shirts for the men’s and women’s soccer squads. It’s a move that underlines the DRC’s continued attempts to rebrand itself in the eyes of the world, and particularly as one of the world’s hottest tourism properties.
The collaboration signed on June 29, 2025, reflects an increasingly popular approach to using sports sponsorships for tourism marketing. A FIFA viable project can attract millions of eyes on screens around the world, and the DR Congo/Barcelona partnership is meant to bring tourism to the country through that footage. Beyond drawing in tourists, the approach is also a way to improve the country’s reputation internationally, presenting DR Congo as a country with culture, nature and economic opportunities.
This FC Barcelona and the Democratic Republic of Congo agreement is just one part of wider government plans by the Congo Ministry of Tourism, headed by Didier M’Pambia, to raise the country’s profile as one of Africa’s fastest growing destinations. This deal, is testament of an ambitious vision that aspires to position DR Congo as a hub for world tourism and investment through these global brands and platforms.
An Emerging Phenomenon: Sport as a Tourism Promotion Tool
In recent years, sports sponsorships have been playing a greater role for countries to make a name for itself in the world and bring a spotlight on them as a tourist destination for the world to visit. The amount of eyeballs that get in front of these sports events, leagues, and teams is colossal with fans from around the globe tuning in every week. Football partnerships, in particular, have developed as a successful strategy for destination marketing because football is a sport with international magnetism.
It is a very strategic step for DR Congo in terms of partnerships with Barcelona,” he said, in reference to expanding the visibility of the country’s tourist attractions. Featuring the tourism logo alongside the Barcelona team wears is a strategic means to reach out to billions of people who support them to sell the idea of their country to tourists, business investors and the world. The branding drive will be aimed not just at conventional tourists but also at a younger and more diverse crowd of sports-curious adventure consumers, who are generally more open to the unfamiliar and adventurous.
Effects on the tourism industry of DRC
The agreement with Barcelona is part of a move to more modern, global marketing methods to attract tourists to DR Congo. The aviation industry in DR Congo is huge, the country’s natural environment is second to none: Virunga National Park hosts the critically endangered mountain gorillas, the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, and Lualaba River. All these special treasures as well as the deep cultural base in the country make DR Congo a surprise paradise for ecotourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism….
But DR Congo’s tourism industry has been struggling, and that is mostly based on how the image of the entire country has been portrayed because of its political instability and ongoing conflicts. Through Coca Cola’s partnership with Football Club Barcelona, this is how the country hopes to sell its new image of a safe, accommodating, and attractive place for tourists. Exposure gained through this high-profile sponsorship will be instrumental in restoring the nation’s image and marketing it as a destination for leisure tourism and potential business investment.
The deal also has the potential to boost DR Congo’s economy by bringing in international visitors, who will spend money on accommodation, travel, tours and services. The €40m loan paid to Barcelona is considered a relatively small but potentially high-impact cost given the potential long-term returns for the country’s tourism-based economy. The increased visibility is supposed to attract tourists, who will be encouraged to travel to DR Congo natural reserves, safari parks, and for cultural interaction with local people.
How Football Influences DR Congo’s Tourism Plan
Football has traditionally been a significant driver of global engagement, tourism advertising, with its major clubs and international tournaments commanding huge global TV audiences. For DR Congo and its decision to sign with Barcelona, one of the biggest football teams in the world, sports diplomacy has a way of elevating the national visibility of states and governments. The collaboration is in line with DR Congo’s larger tourism plan that emphasizes sustainability, cultural diversity and wildlife protection.
The tourism branding of DR Congo will also feature throughout Barcelona’s emarketing materials, club magazine and annual report in addition to benefits derived from OGK — managed media asset inventory. This extended presence will only strengthen DR Congo’s grip of international markets and recognize that the it has the potential to be an AFrica’s serious runner of the tourism slogan.
Rising tourism ties: Other Sponsorship Agreements of European Football Clubs
DR Congo’s tourism policy, such as it is, extends beyond the country’s sponsorship of FC Barcelona. Football teams in Europe are more and more involved in sponsoring countries or regions to encourage their tourism. Indeed, AS Monaco and AC Milan were two of the other clubs that also penned similar sponsorship deals with DR Congo, ensuring the country can further spread its tourism promotional message across different audiences. Together these deals demonstrate DR Congo’s determination to become a major world player in tourism.
As DR Congo continues to raise its profile in terms of tourism, with high profile sponsorship deals with the likes of Barcelona, AC Milan and AS Monaco, her tourism profile is being seen around the world. These clubs have significant social media followings and are followed globally, not just in Europe. Putting DR Congo’s tourism logo on Barcelona’s kit is hoping to be domino that pushes more people to shine a light on the country, draw more tourists to it when thinking about their next holiday/ business trip.
The future for the tourism industry in DR Congo
Looking ahead, the country has the potential to see dramatic growth in its tourism industry, so long as it keeps encouraging development through partnerships with international brands and invests in infrastructure. Apart from the killer sponsorship with Barcelona, the host country is working to better its transportation, hotels and safety, guaranteeing traveling internationals have a good time.
By further partnering with the stakeholders involved in international tourism, DR Congo can develop a holistic plan to market its eco-tourism, adventure tourism, and cultural tourism attractions. The Barcelona partnership and its deal with the national carrier, meanwhile, will offer the country a platform on which to build these efforts, gaining exposure to global travelers and the capital and talent needed to make the sector bloom.
Conclusion: Tourism in DR Congo Has a Promising Future
All in all, the partnership of DR Congo with FC Barcelona signals a change in direction of the tourism strategy of that country. #RDC 2/2 C’est un investissement énorme pour DR Congo et cela replacera très rapidement la RDC au niveau international en tant que destination touristique. DR Congo is on target to changing its tourism sector into a major self-sustaining economic pillar by combining strategic partnerships, sports sponsorship and sustainable development. As you country steps up its presence on the world stage, Barcelona will provide a key stepping stone in ensuring tourism remains the cornerstone of the country’s future prosperity.
References: Congo Ministry of Tourism, DR Congo Government Press Releases, FC Barcelona, Tourism Africa, International Tourism Marketing Bureau.
Tags: African Tourism Growth, Barcelona, Barcelona sponsorship deal, Barcelona sports sponsorship, DR Congo, DR Congo image promotion, DR Congo tourism, international tourism campaigns, Kinshasa, spain, sports tourism partnerships, tourism and football partnerships, Tourism marketing
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