| 3 foreign ministers from Ghana and Gambia will join Sir Dawda Jawara the former president of the Gambia,Dr Danny Jordaan CEO of FIFA World Cup 2010 and Prof Zahi Hawass theSecretary General Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities at this years edition of the only international travel fair in West Africa Akwaaba African Travel Market. This comes as World Bank confirms its participation and the intention to use AfTM as a stakeholders forum.New york based Africa Travel Association will participate at the board level. There will be awards for airlines,Travel agents and pioneers at the Award Dinner to be graced by African Ambassadors and the first female airline Captain Irene Mutungi of Kenya Airways. The Chief host is the Director General of Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation(NTDC) Otunba Segun Runsewe O.O.N
The 2010 edition of Akwaaba African Travel Market will be the largest gathering of World Class Hotels in West Africa. All major international hotel chains and brand hotels that operate in the region are all booked to exhibit at this year’s expo taking place in Lagos at the prestigious Eko Hotel New Expo centre from the 23rd to the 25th of October. For The Starwood group comprising Sheraton, Meridien and Four points it will be their first time as a group joining others like the Protea group, Golden Tulips, The Legacy Group, The Golden Beach Group, The African Sun Group andThe Southern Sun Group. World Class independent Hotels like Eko Hotels,Colonades ,African Regents ,HSSL,Alisa Hotel,Coconut Groove and Bon Voyage are all signed up for the biggest Global show in West Africa. The 23rd of october is open only to exhibitors while the public will be allowed in on the 24th and 25th. Akwaaba; African Travel Market is the only international Travel Fair in West Africa, a population of 270 million people with 15 countries, numerous airports and the largest number of travellers in Africa. The event takes place on 23-25th October in Lagos, Nigeria, running its 6th edition and held at the end of October each year. Over the last 5 years Aftm has become the most important travel marketing platform in the region drawing attendance from over 20 countries, including 12 foreign Airlines and leading African hotel chains. It is open to all as it is “where Africa meets the world”. Akwaaba has been designated by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) as the official travel exhibition in Nigeria. Akwaaba is the only Face to face marketing platform for travel companies in the whole region. It is a known fact that Travel expos are the lifeblood of the Travel industries and provide the most powerful opportunity to do a lot of things including amongst others, establish a presence in the market,maintain existing sales and contracts,highlight promotion of new products ,increase market share of products,reach a set number of new customers, assess the competition,foster relationships with existing clients,extend brand reach, grow corporate image, a positioning platform and afeedback mechanism. All international Airlines operating in Nigeria except a few have all signed to participate in the big event including first timers like Lufthansa German Airlines and Afriqqyah Libyan Airlines. Ethiopian Airlines will be celebrating its 5oth anniversary at the fair. The government of Ghana is coming down with a full complement of Tour operators and cultural troupe just as The Gambia repeats it huge campaign started last year.Sokoto state the seat of the caliphate and Kebbi State will be showcasing for the first time this year. They are joining Lagos,Delta,Akwa Ibom,Cross River and Plateau states regular players at this fair.There will be an essay writing competition this year for school students on”MY AFRICAN TRAVEL EXPERIENCE”.Cash prices will be awarded to the best essays and Tickets from Ethiopian Airline ,Lufthansa,Afriqyyah and Emirates will be won by lucky visitors to the trade fair. The success of AfTM attracted the presence of the former President of the Gambia Sir Dawda Jawara, the former Secretary General of the British Commonwealth Sir Emeka Anyaoku and the former Vice president of Nigeria, Sir Alex Ekwueme as guests among over 10,000 visitors that attended the event last year. It has become a major fixture in the events calendar for Africa, listed by UNWTO as the only travel event in West Africa. Africa Travel Association (ATA), based in New York, has also signed Akwaaba as its partner event in Africa. Akwaaba was admitted this year into the prestigious INTERNATIONAL TOURISM TRADE FAIR ASSOCIATION (ITTFA) further establishing it as the prestige event in the region. “The organizers of Akwaaba are delighted to belong to the well respected and influential group of global exhibitions represented by ITTFA,” comments Mr Ikechi Uko, CEO of the organising company. “This membership offers us an opportunity to network, learn and operate amongst shows of the highest standards. It offers us the opportunity to provide our audience with the combined experience of our peers in the association thus bringing to the shores of West Africa global best practices in the exhibition business. Membership of this elite group will further position AfTM as an international event that takes place in Africa, integrating the African Travel practitioners into the global community.” Tom Nutley, Chairman of Reed Travel Exhibitions has been chairman of ITTFA since he helped to establish the original association in 1992. “Growth markets are an integral part of the future development and success of travel exhibitions and I am delighted that we have this opportunity to build stronger relationships with West Africa. These new growth markets are balanced by the traditional, strong European markets in which we have some excellent tourism trade shows. Encouraging new and improved relationships in the international tourism trade fair industry is a key objective for the association which will further enable all of our members to maximise the tremendous opportunities worldwide”. |
