The 2016 edition of Africa Travel Awards will kicked off on Monday, 19th September 2016 with the release of the questionnaire online on http://atqnews.com/akwaaba2016.html for Africans to choose what they consider the best players on the travel and tourism landscape in Africa. A pan African committee of travel professionals from different countries in Africa drew up a shortlist of nominees to be voted for by the public. The criteria for the choices were listed alongside the nominees.
Africa Travel Awards promoted by the online Africa Travel News website www.atqnews.com will be having its 4th outing. The awards will be coming up on the 30th of October at the Travellers Night Dinner at Akwaaba African Travel Market. Twenty-two awards will be given out by the Awards. The committee members are drawn from East, West, South and Central Africa and it is not surprising that most of the nominees are from sub-Saharan Africa.
The committee members include: Denis Gathanju, a passionate journalist and photographer based in East Africa. He travels the length and breadth of the continent to capture the very best of the African life, culture and sights. He is also a tourism promoter within the East African region. He is a founder of Safari Communications, a company that publishes national tourism guidebooks for a number of African countries as well as producing corporate marketing material for tourism companies in the private sector.
Sandra Idossou is an Afropolitan hotelier, trainer, mystery shopper, consultant, writer, author, traveler, publisher who has been expatriate in eight African countries since 2000. Very passionate about everything African, quality of service, hospitality, branding, sales and marketing, communication, consumers rights, capacity building especially among youth and entrepreneurs. She has trained people in more than 21 African countries and have travelled across 31 countries in Africa and in all continents, a multi cultured person that speak seven languages. Her numerous travellings throughout Africa have made her realise the great opportunities the continent has and have become an advocate for anything than can positively brand Africa.
The company specialises on training for the hospitality and service industry on customer relationship, sales, marketing and mystery shopping. In Rwanda www.theservicemag.com publishes a free educative business magazine aimed at providing hands-on articles to business owners and top managers that support them in becoming more competitive. She also consult on corporate communication, branding and social media. She is a strong believer of Africa’s potential and a great advocate of all things “African”.
Chiquita Afuluenu Johnson is the former National Tourism Consultant for the Republic of Liberia and CEO of West Tourism Management. Launched in 2015, this boutique tour operator is known for providing unique experiences in African destinations with special focus on luxury, responsible tourism, and tourism investment relations. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, along with a BSc in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management from Penn State University, and an Advance Diploma in Travel and Tourism from The Institute of Travel and Tourism The Gambia, it is truly safe to say that hospitality and tourism is her greatest passion, most especially in the African context.
Monique Swart is the Founder of the African Business Travel Association (ABTA). She has worked within the association environment for the corporate travel industry for 17 years after initially starting her career with the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) in 1999. Monique is known as an expert ‘connector’ and assists travel professionals to build their network across Africa by connecting them with their peers and potential partners and clients through ABTA education and networking events. ABTA is the only association of its kind in Africa focusing purely on the corporate travel industry and is active in Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.
Other members Include Ali Diouf an experienced journalist from Senegal, Sheikh Tejan an experienced tourism administrator from The Gambia. Charity Githinju a travel expert based in Tanzania. Siphelele Luthuli is a travel consultant and communication expert from South Africa. Khomotso Kelsall also a South African-based travel consultant. From Uganda is Barbra Adoso a leading tour operator, Nancy Sam Quartey from Ghana. Other tour operators include Benin Republic based Olanma Ojukwu, Fifi Rurungwa Kenya-based Rwandan operator. Rwanda-based Catherine Mutuale, Nigeria based Atinuke Nwakohu. Kenyan Annet Nashipae are all travel consultants.
The Ghanaian journalist Samuel Doe is joined by Nigerian Blogger Olori Supergal and Tunis Silas from The Gambia.
