Intra-Africa travel, tourism business exchange on highlight at 6th ATLF

As global travel and tourism stakeholders prepare to attend the 6th edition of the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum & Awards 2023 in Gaborone Botswana, the organisers have assured on focus on Africa travel and tourism business exchange, business-to-business session & exhibition, which will be part of the activities on October 3, 2023. The sessions will offer an opportunity for marketing, sales, business development and networking in professional and personalised setting for suppliers (accommodation, travel trade and service providers) to do business with travel trade (DMCs, tour operators, travel agents, online travel agents (OTAs) in a structured and business environment.

The business exchange programme will be augmented by speed marketing, desktop exhibitions and destinations showcases, which are uniquely designed to promote intra-Africa travel, African tourism destinations, accommodation facilities, attractions and experiences. Adding to these are cocktails and networking platforms that can be used by participants to maximize engagement and relationship-building as part of the destination showcase.

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Themed, “Shifting demand dynamics to shape the future of intra-Africa Travel”, the 2023 ATLF & Awards will present distinct networking avenues, business opportunities and learning programmes relating to intra-Africa travel, franchising, creative industries and culture, tourism investment, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events), digitalisation and more.

Furthermore, entrepreneurship masterclasses are scheduled for the 3rd of October 3, 2023 as part of this year’s training and capacity building programme. These will focus on tourism entrepreneurship, women entrepreneurship and franchising in travel, tourism and hospitality.

Some of the faculty members for this year’s forum are; Derek Hanekom, chairperson, South African Airways, Jon Danks, chief executive officer, Africa Travel and Tourism Association, Francisco Gómez Durán, head of the culture unit, UNESCO’s Regional Office for Southern Africa, Emily Ndoria-Mburu, director, Directorate of Trade in Services, Investment, Intellectual Property Rights & Digital Trade (DTIID), AfCFTA Secretariat, Margareth Gustavo, executive director, strategy & branding, Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board, Kamilla Swart, associate professor, Hamad Bin Khalifa University Qatar, Sileshi Girma, state minister, Ministry of Tourism, Ethiopia and more.