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#WTMA19: Day two travel trade business highlights
The 2019 World Travel Market Africa's second day showcased speed networking sessions, more pre-scheduled meetings and a jam-packed programme comprising Sports & Events Tourism Exchange (SETE) and the African Tourism Investment Summit.
The African Tourism Investment Summit started with a rallying call from Shamilla Chettiar, deputy director-general: policy and knowledge services, Department of Tourism, South Africa, for 'patient capital' investment in tourism across the continent. "We need money that understands tourism isn't a quick turnaround - investors won't see results within a year," she said. "If you wait patiently, in five years you'll see the reward of your investment - but you're most likely to see real benefits in 10 to 20 years. Patience is vital in building a tourism economy."
The African Tourism Investment Summit started with a rallying call from Shamilla Chettiar, deputy director-general: policy and knowledge services, Department of Tourism, South Africa, for 'patient capital' investment in tourism across the continent. "We need money that understands tourism isn't a quick turnaround - investors won't see results within a year," she said. "If you wait patiently, in five years you'll see the reward of your investment - but you're most likely to see real benefits in 10 to 20 years. Patience is vital in building a tourism economy."
World Travel Market Africa 2019 kicked off with the popular Speed Networking session.
The Sports and Events Tourism Exchange (SETE), hosted by John Robbie, saw key industry panellists offering valuable insights into how the sports, events and tourism industries can work together to grow South Africa’s slice of the sporting pie. Chaos Theory MD Andrew Ross presented on the future of sports, including predictions that traditional broadcasters will cease to exist in the next 20 years, with internet giants like Google and Facebook set to outbid traditional broadcasters for rights to global sporting events.
WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor, Dr Harold Goodwin, led several panel discussions at the Business Case for Responsible Tourism Conference, including a session where the winners of the 2019 Africa Responsible Tourism Awards shared their sustainability stories.
The African Tourism Board also officially launched today at WTM Africa as a new, multinational body to promote the travel and tourism sector in Africa following its initial unveiling during World Travel Market in London. Created by the International Coalition of Tourism Partners, itself based in Seychelles, Brussels, Bali, and Hawaii, the Africa Tourism Board will seek to enhance and promote the sustainable growth, value, and quality of travel on the African continent.
Exhibitors were rewarded for their efforts in creating engaging and productive stands at WTM Africa 2019, with the Stand Awards Winners announced:
• Best Stand Design: City of Cape Town
• Best Stand for Doing Business: Botswana
• Best Stand Personnel: La Reunion Island Tourism
• Best Stand Feature: Thailand
• Most Responsible Stand: SANBI
• Most Innovative Stand: City of Cape Town
• Most Innovative Stand (Travel Tech): Tourplan
• Most Extraordinary Stand Festival Experience: City Sightseeing
Today marks the third and final day of WTM Africa 2019 – Highlights to look forward to include the opening of Travel Forward in partnership with E-Tourism Africa Seminar (eTAS) and day two of the Business Case for Responsible Tourism Conference.
Carol Weaving, managing director of Reed Exhibitions, says: "We’ve seen the advent of some great partnerships to drive continental African travel and tourism forward so far – and there’s the promise of much more to come. Day 3 promises to see WTM Africa 2019 end on a high with the culmination of Travel Forward and the Business Case for Responsible Tourism Conference, with loads more educational and informative sessions still to come."
Click through to our World Travel Market Africa section for more.
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