Africa’s Travel Indaba: Cocktail of sessions awaits on Bonday!

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As the clock ticks, so is the countdown to Africa’s biggest leisure travel showpiece

The 21st edition of Africa Travel Indaba will be staged in the warm and beautiful city of Durban in the KwaZulu Natal Province of South Africa.

โ€œItโ€™s always been a business-packed sessions and if you donโ€™t mark your calendar, you may well miss some important industry session. โ€œAn exhibitor told VoyagesAfriq on arrival in Durban.

This year’s event will present a full bouquet of tourismโ€™s most pressing topics, conversation, and networking opportunities to participants drawn from around the globe.

Once again, VoyagesAfriq will be bringing you up to the minute update from the exhibition floor.

Preceding the official opening of Africaโ€™s Travel Indaba and highlight of the day is the Business Opportunities and Networking (DayBoN) curated to help the tourism industry to be abreast with the happenings in the sector. This yearโ€™s edition has assembled some of the fine Brains to unpack and offer solutions to the challenges bedevilling the industry.

A well thought out topics to be covered during the interactive BONDay session includes the role of arts and culture in the development of sustainable tourism; removal of barriers to intra-Africa market access and connectivity, the new travellers needs and their implications for destination management and investment, enablement of SMMEs through technology and conducive regulation, marketing and technology platforms that enable business growth. From a tourism perspective, we all can relate to the choice of topics.

South Africaโ€™s Deputy Minister of Tourism Amos Fish Mahlalela will give the opening remarks for the BonDay session. He is expected to share the policies and projects undertaken by the government to support the recovery of the tourism sector, particularly SMMEs.

Below is the schedule

Inside Trackโ€”
Tomorrowโ€™s Travellers -Inside on tourism investment and destination management.

Speakers
โ€ข Rohit Talwar โ€“ CEO, Fast Future, UK
โ€ข Amy Hills โ€“ Senior Associate, Capital Markets, JLLโ€™s Hotels & Hospitality โ€จGr
โ€ข Olayinka Bandele – Senior Economist, United Nations European โ€จCommission for Africa, Southern Africa.
โ€ข โ€จModeratator: Naledi Moleo – News Anchor, SABC

10:45-11:45
Hard Talk on Pan-African Thought-leadership in Tourismโ€จRealizing progressive visa regimes and Connectivity as a tourism growth opportunity for Africa

Leaders in tourism and aviation will address the challenges affecting the growth of the sector at the same time offering insights into the progress made in the various fora and meetings.
Speakers
Elcia Grandcourt – Regional Director, Africa Department, UNWTOโ€จ
Alan Renaud – Principal Secretary โ€“ Civil Aviation, Ports and Marine, Seychelles
Sandile Chipunza – Manager External Affairs & Sustainability, IATA
Nomasonto Ndlovu โ€“ COO, South African Tourismโ€จ
Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa – CEO, Tourism Business Council of South Africa

Women Empowerment
The discussion around the creation of the right environment to reduce the gender gap in the tourism industry will once be in the spotlight. Seasoned experts and public & private leaders will tackle this important discussion.

Speakers
โ€ข Lindiwe Rakharebe โ€“ CEO, Durban International Convention Centre, SA
โ€ข Mimi Kalinda โ€“ Group CEO, Africa Communications Media Group, SA
โ€ข Hon. Philda Nani Kereng โ€“ Minister of Environment and Tourism, Botswana
โ€ข Joanne Mwangi โ€“ Yelbert โ€“ CEO, PMS, โ€จKenya
โ€ข Winile Mtungwa – Deputy Head, Durban โ€จTourism โ€จModerator – Lynette Ntuli, CEO, Innate Investment Solutions

Time: 12-12:45 , Venue

Enabling SMEs through technology and a favourable regulatory environment

The use of technology to scale up SMMEs will be the next discussion to challenge the tourism industry on how prepared it is to tap into the digital space to affect service delivery
Speakers

โ€ข Gwen Ngwenya โ€“ Senior Manager, Public Policy EMEA, Air BnB, South Africa
โ€ข Buntu Matole โ€“ Co-Founder, ABCD โ€จConcepts, South Africa
โ€ข Bronwen Auret – Chief Quality Assurance โ€จOfficer, South African Tourism
โ€ข Juanita Clark – Co-Founder and Chief โ€จExecutive Officer, Digital Council Africa,

Moderator – Septi Bukula – Founder & Director, SEEZA, South Africa

Time:
Venue

In pursuit of youth and Women Economic Inclusion
Speakers
โ€ข Phindile Makwakwa โ€“ COO, Tourism KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
โ€ข Gabriela Gamez- Government Affairs Manager, WTTC, UK
โ€ข Amy Hills โ€“ Senior Associate, Capital Markets, JLLโ€™s Hotels & Hospitality Group
โ€ข Glenton De Kock – CEO, Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI). โ€จ
Moderator – Lynette Ntuli, CEO, Innate Investment

Diversifying Africaโ€™s Tourism Products
Reimagining cultural tourism – the potential of Utahn tourism

Speakers
โ€ข Bheki Dube โ€“ Founder, Curiocity, South Africa
โ€ข Mulekeni Ngulube โ€“ Consultant, UNESCO
โ€ข Richardson Chigogo โ€“ CEO, Peaks of Africa, South Africa
โ€ข Ruddy Kwakye โ€“ Executive Director Afro Nation Ghana โ€จ
Moderator – Lonwabo Mavuso โ€“ Executive Director, Andani Africa

Time: 12:45-13:30
Venue

Inspiring African Culinary Travels
โ€ข Chef Queen Gumede โ€“ Sakhumzi Restaurant, South Africa
โ€ข Chef Andile Somdaka โ€“ Eziko Restaurant, former personal chef to Nelson Mandela and Director: Ethics Africa Chefs, South Africa
โ€ข Chef Innocent Rutayisire โ€“ Executive Sous Chef, Rwanda
โ€ข Chef Benjamin Compaore โ€“ Executive Sous Chef, Burkina Fasso โ€จ

Interviewer: Lynette Ntuli โ€“ CEO Innate Investment Solutions

Click here to download the detailed program

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