Kenya Tourism Board, Rwanda Development
Board, Rwandair, Air Maroc, Golden Tulip Hotel
and First Business Logistics-a subsidiary of
Skyblue Services join the list of Exhibitors for
Akwaaba 2015 as they scrambled for the few
available spaces this year.The Kenyans will be
arriving with a cultural troupe to showcase
Kenyan culture.


The Atunda ENT promoted by La Campagne
Tropicana Beach Resort will also be
entertaining guest at Akwaaba this year.This
year’s event will be held in the same venue as
last year’s,Eko Hotel and Suites.
The Executive Governor of Sokoto state in
Nigeria and the former Speaker of the Nigerian
National Assembly Honorable Aminu
Tambuwal will be the Chairman at the African
Travel Awards and Dinner. The African Travel
awards is one of the high points of the 3day
Travel event and comes up on the 1st day, 22nd
Nov from 7pm. He would be accompanied by
the Hon. Commissioner of Commerce,
Industries and Tourism, Sokoto State- Alh.
Aminu Bello.As repeat Exhibitors at Akwaaba,
Sokoto state would be showcasing her rich
Tourism Products to both international and
local audience which is what Akwaaba as a
platform offers.


Some of the Awards to be presented at the
event include Best Hotel in Africa, Airline of the
Year-Africa, Best Resort in Africa, Africa most
friendly City, and Best Airport in Africa, with
Waturi Wa Matu presented with the African
Legend Award for her role in promoting
Tourism in East-Africa.

This comes as the enlarged committee of the
Africa Travel Awards over the week completed
their nominations of Airlines, Hotels and
Destinations for this year’s award. The Pan
African committee made up of Tourism
professionals from all over Africa usually
nominates candidates for the award categories
and the shortlist is now presented to the public
for online voting. After the public vote the
committee members will now ratify the results
before it is published.


Africa Travel Awards is an African initiative to
celebrate pioneers and exceptional providers
of quality service in Africa. The uniqueness of
the awards which is in its 5th year is that the
committee is completely African in composition
and the choices are about Africa.Past
Recipients of the Award includes former
President of Gambia, Sir Dawda Jawara, Dr
Danny Jordaan, the CEO of South Africa world
Cup LOC, Capt Irene Mutungi, the first lady
Airline Captain in Africa, Capt Desta Zeru the
first African to captain a B787, Capt Chinyere
Kalu, first female Pilot in Nigeria and a host of
other pioneers in Africa.Membership of the
Award committee is drawn from over 15
African countries. The new committee
members are Siphelele Luthuli from South
Africa, Khomotso Kelsall from South Africa,
Fifi Rurungwa from Rwanda, Olanma
Ojukwu from Benin Republic, Waturi Wa
Matu from Kenya, Nancy Sam from Ghana,
Chiquita Johnson from Liberia.


They are joining other active members like
Chief Chika Onyeani New York based Publisher
of African Times, Sheikh Tejan Nyang of
Gambia, Ali Diouf of Senegal, Denis Gathanju
of Kenya, Monique Swart South Africa based
promoter of ABTA, Gordon Adoboe from
Ghana, Samuel Doe from Ghana, Atlanta based
Senegalese Promoter Ogo Sow, Janjay F.
Campbell from liberia, Mrs. Tinuke Nwakohu
from Nigeria,Consiga Khiga of Kenya,
Adefunke Adeyemi – IATA representative for
Middle-East & Africa, Yunus Saliu from the
Gambia,Yvette smith Cole from Sierra-leone,
Patricia Ellis from Zambia,Samuel Doe from
Ghana. Aly Diouf -Senegal.


Meanwhile the DG NCAA, Capt. Usman
Mukhtar, MD, International Services of
Ethiopian Airline along with the Head of IATA
Middle East and Africa, will be headlining this
year’s Aviation Day at the 11th Akwaaba.The
International Air Transport Association (IATA),
in line with its, objective to bring increased
connectivity to Africa has partnered with
Akwaaba to organize the Aviation day. The
event will hold on the 23rd of Nov, the 2nd day
of Akwaaba from10am.


The event aims to stimulate valuable
discussions by renowned industry players to
address the lingering issue of connectivity in
Africa. It will feature presentations of papers
by notable individuals in the industry on issues
concerning the sector. Adefunke Adeyemi,
IATA Regional Head for Member (Airline) and
External Relations for Africa and the Middle
East will be sharing a recent study by IATA on
connectivity in Africa at the Aviation Day. The
event is themed “National Carrier, Open Skies
and Connectivity in Africa”.


Managing Director, International Services,
Ethiopian Airlines, Esayas Woldemariam will
also be making a presentation, while the
Director General, Nigeria Civil Aviation
Authority, Capt. Muhtar Usman will be the
Chairman of the day. The moderator for the
day will be Aviation Consultant Mr Chris
Aligbe.Already the President, Nigeria
Association of Tour Operators, Nkereuwem
Onung and the President, National Association
of Nigerian Travel Agents, Alhaji Aminu Agoha
have accepted to be among panel members at
the event which is for Travel Trade
Professionals.


Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, wife of the former
Nigerian leader,Odumegwu Ojukwu and former
beauty queen will be cutting the tape to
declare the Wedding & Spa Show open and
formally opening the Akwaaba Travel
Market.The Wedding show is sponsored by
Dubai Tourism in partnership with Emirates
and will feature over 10 countries showcasing
amazing Wedding & Honeymoon destinations,
Weekend Getaways and Spa Sanctuaries.


Travelstart Nigeria which would be exhibiting
at Akwaaba for the first time, hopes to extend
its reach across Africa.Also, Samsung West-
Africa a leading Technology company, in its bid
to increase brand Visibility especially amongst
Hoteliers and Resort Owners will be
showcasing its Professional Displays, Hotel TV
ranges, Smart Signage & IT products at
Akwaaba 2015.


As sponsors of the Hospitality Day event,
Samsung West-Africa will be sharing with Hotel
& Resort Managers how they can improve their
guest experience by using Hotel's TVs instead of
consumer TVs in order to personalise their
guests experience.


Other Guest Speakers are Mr. Sanjo Bamgboye-
Director, Current Links Systems Ltd on
“Facilitating Payment Innovation in
Hospitality” and Mrs. Lilian Obinna-Igwe,
Country Manager Travelstart Nigeria on
“Online Booking in Africa and how it works”.
There will also be a panellists made up of Top
Hotel GMs across Africa to deliberate on the
issues raised.


The Hospitality day at Akwaaba seeks to create
a platform that would help provide knowledge
about burning issues and raise Hotel standards
in Africa The Travellers top 100 Hotels in Lagos Polls
winners will also be announced and receive
their certificate at the event.The Wine Tasting
event follows immediately after from 4pm.


Wine Tasting Event at the Hospitality Day
presents an opportunity for Wine Producers
from all parts of the World to Network and
Market to over 50 Wine distributors from
across Nigeria. It also offers wine distributors
the opportunity to deal directly with wine
producers eliminating the middle men. This
event is open to all Hotel and Hospitality
Professionals. Hospitality Day holds on the 24th
Nov, 2015. Attendance is by registration. The
paper ‘How to Know Your Wine’ will
anchored by Chief J



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