Beyond connecting businesses, our efforts at ATLF have boosted intra-Africa travels, exchanges’

In the last decade Africa Tourism Partners (ATP), a UNWTO- affiliated award-winning Pan-African tourism development and strategic destination marketing advisory firm, has led voices and actions for robust tourism development across the continent with notable initiatives.

One of them is the African Tourism Leadership Forum (ATLF), which has connected over 3,000 investors in Africa’s tourism space since 2018 to trade, work together, and grow their businesses together. In this interview, Kwakye Donkor, CEO, ATP, organisers of ATLF 2026, shares with OBINNA EMELIKE, preparations for this year’s event, which the 8th edition, major highlights, new expectations, support from the Limpopo Tourism Agency, host and partners in the event, attractions for visitors, why the event is a must-attend for investors and businesses in the tourism, travel and related industries, among others. Excerpt:

What are the major highlights of the 8th edition of ATLF?

This is a platform that has, so far, connected over 1,500 to 3,000 investors to trade, to work together, and to do business together.
Like any other industry, there is always transformation. People move in and move out.

So, the highlight of ATLF will always remain the speed marketing, the B2B sessions, so that people can meet different people. Also, I agree that people might have attended over the last seven years, but the content will not be the same, the content will be different. Some speakers will repeat because of their perspective on certain issues, and we want consistency. But there is always fresh blood that will be produced.

For instance, we will have the Limpopo Premier and the Limpopo MEC, who have never attended this event. Limpopo is the home of Kruger National Park. So, getting to understand why people can leverage wildlife and conservation and conservation for other businesses, whether you are a travel operator, whether you are a hotel owner, whether you are a general manager, that will be a totally different perspective.

Another thing, like I said, we have never really had an investor roundtable, although we talk about investment.

So, that is a very critical component. An investor roundtable does not necessarily mean that people are going to close deals, but I like what the roadmap or the playbook would be if someone would like to invest in that space, if someone is looking for investment in that space, what should they look out for? What are the touch points? To understand the point of people who are investing, that is another opportunity.

We will have masterclasses in grading, classification and quality assurance, which we have never done before.

So, if people have problems in hotels or accommodation or any product, they will now understand the need for them to ensure their product is quality assured. The reason is that the industry competes with the rest of the world.

So, whether you are in South Africa, Kenya, or in Ghana, when tourists are going to destinations, their reference is always global standards. So, this is going to help people to understand what the norm is and what they should apply to, which is never done. Another important thing we are considering, we know AI has become extremely topical all over the world, but no one has delved into it, how it impacts tourism businesses that are run in Africa.

So, that becomes a fresh angle to it. Obviously, we will look at the issue of aviation, because that issue has been spoken about across all summits all over the world and platforms. But we feel that is more of an advocacy role that we need to play, so that discussion will resurface.

We are looking at the travel agency associations of Eastern and Southern Africa to have a different perspective, so that people will appreciate the significance and the importance of that particular area of discussion and advocacy. So, those are some of the new areas.

Finally, if you have never been to Limpopo, even if you have been there, the experience will be different. So, how do people look at a place like Limpopo, apply the lessons they get from there and package them, particularly with destinations where the focus is mostly not on lifestyle, but on leisure that is anchored on ecotourism and sustainable tourism.

I think as Africans, we don’t normally consume this kind of tourism experience, because we feel that we know the bush, but it is never the same.

And Limpopo and Kruger discussions would be very good examples for people to learn.

Why did you choose Polokwane in the Limpopo Province as the host of 8THATLF when there are many other enthralling destinations to consider?

The province is the home of the Kruger National Park, the largest wildlife park in South Africa.

It also helps people to understand the convergence between tourism, wildlife and biodiversity. Again, Limpopo is a natural and cultural tourism destination, and that will open people’s eyes, because that is something that Africans have not really gotten into consuming and experiencing.

So, people who are coming, despite that the province may not put on a tour, when people are there, I would like to encourage them to experience this kind of tourism offering, so that those who do will learn, then go and package and sell to others too.

Are the events’ highly-anticipated awards also going to hold?

There is an award. The award has not changed.

So, the top five of the youth innovators for last year were announced. The top three, the winner in the first and second rounds will also be announced. Tourism Leadership Awards will be announced. We did not reveal it last year, the winners for that year will be announced this year. If they are able to finish the submissions for this year before the time, we know that now the top five for each category may be announced.

There are things like cultural activities, which are being looked at. Hopefully, there is going to be an exhibition as well. So, anyone who wants to exhibit and showcase their product can also have the opportunity to do that.

This comes as a side offering for stakeholders that will be attending because people will have the opportunity to interact a lot more on the margins of the event and showcase their products.

In what capacity is the AfCFTA coming in this year’s event?

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is coming. Don’t forget that there is a key component, that is tourism. It is called the AfCFTA Tourism, Creative and Cultural Industries Forum, which we used to have for a full day.

Now, it is an event of its own, called the CCA, the section one will be dedicated to that particular section, where we look at the connection between the tourism industry and the creative sector.

AfCFTA is also considering using this event to launch the 2026 Creative Connect Africa. So, AfCFTA is going to be there and they will basically discuss issues around trade services commitments that are made by countries from a tourism perspective because tourism is trade.

So, they will play a key role in bringing to the fore the issue around tourism and intra-Africa trade and what kind of commitments countries make. They will also use that to showcase the need for tourism and creative and cultural industries to work together.

There has been emphasis on intra-African travels and trade exchanges in the previous edition. Is there going to be the same this year?

It will always be because that is what the event is about. It is to drive intra-Africa travel. Now, we discussed this issue, but the point is, it takes people to deliver some of these things.

Again, in some of the issues, you do not need to find a full solution to be able to implement them.

Since inception, this event has connected over 3,000 industry professionals around the continent, and whether we like it or not, intra-Africa travel is growing.

Now, from South Africa to Kenya, you do not need a visa. Ghana to South Africa is visa-free. Rwanda to other Africans is visa-free too. That is already intra-Africa travel.

We understand that travel, especially flight, is expensive in Africa, but since we started in 2018 till now, there is more connectivity, there are more people travelling, and Africa is connecting within more than before.

Do you think the ‘Seamless Africa’ agenda championed by ATLF is being achieved?

Yes. Today, I can say that the goal of intra-Africa travel is being achieved to some extent. Today, more Africans are now talking about travelling within the continent, despite that we have our own issue of immigration and the rest.

But in terms of travel and holidays, there are more Africans travelling than it used to be when we started in 2018. There are more people sailing to Africa instead of just sailing to Europe and other destinations outside of Africa than there used to be in 2018.

Intra-Africa travel is increasing, the demand and the supply have been elevated and we believe that we played a significant role. We had our master class yesterday and all the time that you bring people together, whether you like it or not, there are businesses that take place. It is just that we do not have the opportunity to assess whatever, because of confidentiality, people do not want to share what they generate.

What about the impact over the past years?

I can comfortably say that the ATLF has connected more Africans who are impacting the continent beyond the tourism space. I think the 3,000 I spoke about was as of 2024. So, now I believe that the number of those who have been connected is more than 3,500.

Do not forget that we also have been getting media mileage from the likes of yourself, Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation, among other media platforms that propagate the message in their various countries. It shows that already we have a common ground for the need, for us to talk about the need for intra-Africa travel and people are doing it.

Maybe, what we may have to do from next year, which is the technical edition, is to run a survey to assess the actual impact of the event so far.

We may have to do some empirical work to be able to come up with a solid value of what the event has delivered over the last 10 years.

What are the benefits for participants, especially potential ones?

One of the benefits is the masterclass in Meetings Incentives Conference and Events (MICE). So, there is knowledge, and learning to help them to diversify their businesses or look at different ways of running their business. There will be classes on quality assurance, impactful roundtable discussions, especially on funding.

They will learn how to package and sell tourism, wildlife and biodiversity. They are coming to meet new people, connect to new ideas and more because in the past eight years, new top operators visit, and new products are launched.

So, participating in this year’s event will allow people to meet new people, discover new potential and access new business connections.

That is why we are emphasising on the Africa Connect part of the event this year.

Those are the benefits and major reasons people should come to ATLF 2026. So, if you spend, say, $2,000 from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, or Tanzania. I am sure a business deal will pay for your $2,000 expenses.

Also, Meropa, the host hotel, is giving special rates as well as Park Inn by Radisson. There is also a great special rate by Southern Sun and Protea in the area.

So, the cost compared to the business that will be generated will be less as the return on investment will far outweigh the cost that anyone will put in or will incur in coming to Polokwane and Limpopo.

As the host, how has the support from the Limpopo Tourism Agency been?

Their support is good. I have just mentioned hotels that are supporting us with their special rates. At least four hotels are supporting and that is good.

The fact that they are giving special rates for people who are attending is a good sign of support. Also, South African Airways and Kenya Airways have agreed to give discounted fares to participants and the code for the fare is there on the ATLF website: www.tourismleadershipforum.africa.

Even if it is a 10 percent discount, it is of value.
Then we have Limpopo Tourism Agency, the host partner, which is offering a very huge support. The agency has its parent ministry in Limpopo called the Department of Tourism and Environment, that is also supporting. So, the support has been good. We just got confirmation from the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), to support the event.

So far, we are good and hope to get a lot more to be able to take care of more people. We are hopeful.