Africa Travel Awards kicks off with release of questionnaire online
The 2016 edition of Africa Travel Awards kicked off on Monday 19th September 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. 22 awards will be given out. 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, traveller, publisher who has been expatriate in eight African countries since 2000. Very passionate about everything African, Quality of Service, Hospitality, Branding, Sales & 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 7 languages. Her numerous travellings throughout Africa have made her realize 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 & Tourism from The Institute of Travel & 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.
Some of the short listed Nominees include: African award for Sustainable Tourism.
This award is to any group or destination that is involved in best practices in Sustainable tourism as a way of encouraging others to emulate and improve.
The nominees are Libassa Ecolodge, Liberia, Rwanda Tourism
Best Business Class in Africa (restricted only to African Airlines)
The nominees are: Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines.
Best Economy Class in Africa (restricted to only African Airlines)
The nominees are: Kenya Airways, South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, RwandAir.
Airline with the Best in-flight service in Africa (restricted to only African Airlines)
The nominees are: Ethiopian Airlines Kenya Airways and RwandAir.
Most Passenger friendly Airport in Africa.
This is Self explanatory and doesn’t go to the biggest or grandest Airport but to that Airport that provides the best travel experience to passengers.
The nominees are: Banjul Airport, Gambia. 2. Tambo Airport, Jo’burg, South Africa. 3. Cape Town Airport, South Africa. 4. Kotoka Airport, Accra Ghana. 5. Lome Airport, Togo.
African Aviation Personality.
This is to an individual, an institution or product that best exemplifies great Aviation innovation or great value in Africa that has played a great role in growing Aviation in Africa.
The nominees are: Carla Da Silva, Air Mauritius 2. John Mirenge, RwandAir.
Best Airline in Africa
This award is to the Airline that has given the best in Services, connections and good value for money to Travellers within and outside Africa.
The nominees are Ethiopian Airlines, Qatar and Turkish Airlines
Best short haul Airline in Africa
This is to all the regional Airlines without intercontinental connections that fly to distances of about 4hours or less.
The nominees are : RwandAir, Kulula, ASKY and SAA.
Best online Booking platform in Africa
The nominees are : Wakanow.com, Kenya Airways, Tala Tours Ghana, Travelstart and Jumia Travels.
Tourism Marketing Award (for Marketing within Africa)
The nominees are : South Africa Tourism and Magical Kenya.
Best International Airline in Africa ( for Non African Airlines)
This award includes all international Airlines that fly into Africa.
The nominees are : Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways and Brussels.
Best Business Hotel in Africa
The nominees are : Villa Rosa Kempinski, Kenya, The Maslow Hotel, Jo’burg , South Africa, Radisson Blu, Dakar, Senegal and Coconut Grove, Accra, Ghana
Best Resort in Africa.
The nominees are: Maia Resort & Spa Seychellesan Hotel Palace Royal Garden Tunisia, Kempinski Ole Mara, Kenya
Best African Hotel chain (owned by an African registered Company)
Based on quality of service, Perception and value for money
The nominees are : Serena Hotels, Protea Hotel, Sun International, Azalal Hotel
Best Hotel chain in Africa (this is open to all hotels operating in Africa)
Based on quality of service, Perception and value for money.
The nominees are: Serena, Starwood Hotels, Tsogo Sun/Southern Sun and Radisson
Hotel of the year(all hotels qualify)
The nominees are : the Maslow Hotel, Jo’burg South Africa, Villa Rosa Kempinski, Nairobi, Kenya Radisson Kigali. Rwanda, Table Bay Cape Town, South Africa
Best Tourism Minister in Africa – the award goes to recognize the endeavours of a tourism minister from Africa who has played a significant role in not only driving the tourism agenda of his/her country, but also helping forge ties between African nations with a view to enhancing regional tourism.
The nominees are: Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare from Ghana, Walter Mzembi from Zimbabwe, Fatou mas Jobe Njie from Gambia and Alain St. Ange from Seychelles,
African Tourism Personality – the award goes to recognise the work(s) of a tourism professional and/or institution in Africa that has played a critical role in advancing the tourism agenda. The scope of the works could be anything from wildlife conservation, advocacy to eco-tourism et al. The said person can be from either the public of private sector, but not an activist of whatever kind.
The nominees are : Late Ms. Belinda Mutihiri from Zimbabwe, Adama Bah from The Gambia, Carmen Nigibira, Minister Malusa Gigaba from South Africa
Best Emerging Destination – this award will seek to identify a new and emerging tourism destination in Africa. This could be a country or a tourism circuit within a country or that transcends international boundaries. Facts to consider will be tourism potential of the destination and its impact to the people around the said destination.
The nominees are : Ghana, Rwanda. Diani, Kenya
Best Tourism Blog/Blogger – Kojo Bentum of Tourist Watch – Ghana, Charlie Beauvoiser Diary of a Muzungu Based in Uganda, Wolfgang Thome ETN Africa Based in Uganda, Natalia Rosa of Big Ambitions Based in South Africa
African Culture Award
The nominees are : Carnival Calabar, Nigeria, Kwita Izina, Rwanda and
Seychelles Carnival.
African Restaurant of the year
The nominees are: Pili Pili, Cotonou, Benin, La Tante, Accra, Ghana, Country Kitchen, Accra, Ghana, The Tasting Room at La Quartier Francaise, Cape Town, South Africa
Maida expressed excitement at Nigeria’s success at World Radio Communications Conference 2023
Maida expressed excitement at Nigeria’s success at World Radio Communications Conference 2023
Maida expressed excitement at Nigeria’s success at World Radio Communications Conference 2023
Maida expressed excitement at Nigeria’s success at World Radio Communications Conference 2023