African countries at a world travel exhibition have presented a united front in the battle to woo tourists back to the continent following the Ebola crisis.

Ebola-hit country Sierra Leone pulled out of World Travel Market in London but two other West African countries, Nigeria and Senegal, where the outbreak is deemed to be over, were at the exhibition in London's Docklands.

Senegal hopes this year's tourist numbers are not too badly hit by the health crisis.

"We have a lot to offer visitors," said Ms Houma Dia, the marketing and communication director of the Senegalese Tourism Promotion Agency.

She flew to London for WTM at which Senegal is exhibiting for the first time in four years.

Another who travelled from West Africa was Ms Bolanle Osute, the marketing and communication director for the Keystone Bank, which is a partner of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation.

"Ebola has not stopped people wanting to come to Nigeria," she said.

Two other Ebola-suffering countries, Guinea and Liberia, do not take part in WTM.

There has been concern the crisis could affect not only West African tourism but visitor levels throughout Africa. At WTM Kenya Tourism Board was buoyant about tourism prospects, revealing that the East African country received nearly 150,000 British visitors in 2013.

Last week, the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) said worldwide tourist numbers increased five per cent in the first eight months of this year, with northern Europe one of the highest growth areas.

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Africa tourist chiefs defy Ebola fears