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Akwaaba African Travel Market

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Akwaaba African Travel Market
Where Africa meets the world
StatusActive
GenreExhibitions, conference, workshops and awards.
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Lagos, Nigeria
Years active2005- present
ParticipantsAfrican countries, airlines, hotels, resorts, tourism boards, national parks, transport companies, destination marketers, travel and tour operators
Attendance10,000
Organized byAkwaaba Travel Market Limited
Websiteafricantravelmarkets.com

Akwaaba African Travel Market (AFTM) is an international travel, tourism and hospitality event organized annually in Lagos, Nigeria aimed at businesses, investors, governments decision - makers and buyers in the industry, providing business opportunities, industry news and showcasing products in Africa and around the world. It serves as a platform to trade and network. Akwaaba African Travel Market is widely seen as the main designated travel market in Africa.[1][2] It's organized by Akwaaba Travel Market Limited.


File:At Akwaaba African Travel Market.JPG
At Akwaaba African Travel Market

The first Akwaaba African Travel Market (AFTM) was held in Lagos in 2005.[3] It came as a result of the rebranding of the name of the Travelers Awards and Exhibitions, which was launched in 2004. Subsequent editions have been held in Lagos. The name, 'Akwaaba', has its origin from Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire, it means welcome.


In 2005, from the participation of two countries, Ghana and Sao Tome, coming to Nigeria for the event in the debut year in 2005, the event has grown over the years with increasing number of active exhibitors within and outside Africa, with over 20 participating countries, about 10,000 attendance and having partnerships with Africa countries tourism boards, World Tourism Organization UNWTO [4], Africa Travel Association (ATA), Kwanza Trade Marketing of Dubai, African Business Travel Association (ABTA), International Tourism Trade Fair Association (ITTFA) and International Air Transport Association (IATA). [5][6]


With objective to serve as a catalyst in driving economic growth through tourism, hospitality and the travel market in the region, it serves as an enabler for a sustainable Pan-African tourism by involving stakeholders in the industry. As quoted by Akwaaba African Travel Market organizer, Ikechi Uko: "The fair has opened the door to Nigeria and Africa tourism markets and served as a platform for exchange of cultural and tourism potentials among participating countries". [7][8]

RECOGNITIONS

South Africa used Akwaaba African Travel market as a reaching platform to bridge her gap with Nigeria. According to the South African Tourism (SAT) "During Akwaaba, we officially announced our partnership with the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), who will help boost tourist arrivals growth from Nigeria to South Africa by developing a range of packages to suit the Nigerian travelers". [9]


The Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), the largest training institute in Africa, partners with Akwaaba African Travel Market to reach out to the West Africa region in the areas of pilot training. Akwaaba offers NCAT a platform to reach out to a large audience of top players in the Aviation industry from West Africa.

Gambia organized 'Gambia day' during Akwaaba African Travel Market, inviting her business partners around the world to Akwaaba event to witness the ' Gambia day'. Gambia used the Akwaaba African Travel Market platform to showcase Gambia to the world and seeks investments.

File:Ikechi Uko at AKWAABA event.jpg
At Akwaaba event.L-R- Otunba Runsewe,( NTDC former DG), Olusegun Obasanjo ( Nigeria former president), Dawda Jawara ( Gambia former president), Danny Jordaan, Ikechi Uko and Obioma Liyel Imoke

Akwaaba African Travel Market is the official travel partner for the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA). This enables NANTA, as an organization to further strengthen her relationship with other African countries and international organizations.

To foster the relationship of East Africa with West Africa, East Africa adopts Akwaaba African Travel Market as the official tourism expo in West Africa; and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) adopts Akwaaba African Travel Market as the official travel expo in the region of West Africa.

Lagos state, Nigeria endorsed Akwaaba African Travel market as the official designated travel event in Lagos state. "This is in fulfillment of the state government promise to announce a yearly calendar of events to guide programming , visiting tourists and visitor’s decisions". - Lagos State Ministry for Tourism, Arts and Culture.[10] [11] [12]

[13] In line with IATA's objective, to foster connectivity in Africa in the industry, Akwaaba African Travel Market (AFTM) partnered with International Air Transport Association (IATA) to organize an Edition of Aviation Day at Akwaaba.

Samsung West-Africa launched their new set of Hospitality TV into the West-African Market at the event.


EVENT FEATURES

The Africa Travel Awards marks the formal opening of the fair and features speeches and presentations, award presentation, cultural dance displays from various dance troupes across Africa, music performances and dinner.

The Africa Travel and Tourism Conference addresses the challenges and solutions of travel and tourism development in Africa. With expert speakers and discussants drawn across the globe, delegates, guests and exhibitors exchange vital knowledge and information on the up-to-date changing trends in the practice and operations within the related sectors of the travel and tourism businesses.[14]

The Aviation day focuses on the Aviation Industry. The Aviation day include workshops and presentations where industry experts discuss the outlook for the Africa region, find out what trends are affecting Africa, the challenges and opportunities in the long-term and learn how to adapt to changing market conditions, as well as celebrate Top Brands. The event is rounded off with Lunch and Musical Performance.

The hospitality day focuses on the hospitality industry, with attendance of from the top international hotel brands in the Africa region and outside Africa. It features presentations by notable individuals on the latest trends, tools and technology to help hotels stay ahead of competition and increase guests experience. This event is rounded off with lunch, Raffle-draw, musical performances and Wine-tasting.

The country day celebration is aimed at promoting travel within Africa through showcasing the food, Culture and destinations of participating countries. These countries in conjunction with their embassies in Nigeria organize a food, wine tasting event and cultural display.

REFERENCES

  1. ^ "Akwaaba travel fair brings the world to Nigeria", Vanguard (Nigeria), 22 October 2009 . Retrieved on 6 September 2018.
  2. ^ "Akwaaba African Travel Market Becoming Continent's Most Influential Show". Thisday live. 5 November 2016.
  3. ^ Yunus S. Saliu "The Fourth Edition of Akwaaba Travel Market Lagos" The Daily Observer Archived 2015-11-22 at the Wayback Machine, 11 July 2008. Retrieved on 21 November 2015.
  4. ^ "Akwaaba turns Africa to 'Seamless Africa"September,14,2018. Retrieved, 21, May 2019.
  5. ^ Emeka Umejei "Akwaaba’13: Sustaining the tempo of west Africa market" Archived 2015-11-22 at the Wayback Machine,Daily Independent, 11 October 2013. Retrieved on 21 November 2015.
  6. ^ "Akwaaba African Travel Market", Osun Defender, 23 October 2012. Retrieved on 21 November 2015.
  7. ^ "Travelstart Nigeria To Attend AKWAABA 2015", 2 September 2015. Retrieved on 21 November 2015.
  8. ^ "Minister Declares Akwaaba 2014 Open" Archived 2015-11-22 at the Wayback Machine, Leadership (newspaper), 27 October 2014. Retrieved on 21 November 2015
  9. ^ "SA Tourism cements trade partnership on the Africa continent"
  10. ^ Olusegun Koiki [ https://independent.ng/lagos-state-govt-partners-14th-akwaaba-african-travel-market/ "Lagos State Govt. partners 14th Akwaaba African Travel Market"], The Daily Independent, 4 September 2018 . Retrieved on 6 September 2018.
  11. ^ "Lagos state adopts Akwaaba African Travel Market as official event", New Telegraph, 6 March 2018 . Retrieved on 6 September 2018.
  12. ^ "Lagos plans big for ‘Akwaaba’", This Day, 5 September 2018 . Retrieved on 6 September 2018.
  13. ^ " Akwaaba African Travel Market 2015", Retrieved on 21 November 2015.
  14. ^ "12th Akwaaba To Host Africa Travel, Tourism Conference 2016" Archived 2016-03-10 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved on 2 March 2016.
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