The VA TourismPodcast

Uncovering Namibia's Unique Craft Gin

In today’s episode, Sandy Le Roux, the owner of Still house Craft gin Distillery based in Namibia’s coastal city of Swakopmund walks me through how her business survived the lock down and the uniqueness of the craft gin and its role in Namibia’s gastronomy. She tells me how they are the epitome of good spirits from fermentations to distilling - all happening on site with bottling and labeling done by hand.
Stillhouse Atlantic is a craft distillery established early in 2017 in the small coastal town of Swakopmund, Namibia. It’s a small family business run by Pierre and Sandy le Roux with some input by sons Jason and Danyon, whos curiosity first inspired the idea and passion for the art and science of craft distilling.

Franck Olivier Kra en conversation avec le ministre Béninois du Tourisme, des Arts et de la Culture Jean-Michel Abimbola

L'épisode d'aujourd'hui est une conversation avec le Ministre du Tourisme, des Arts et de la Culture de la République du Bénin, M. Jean-Michel Abimbola. Au cours des derniers mois, son ministère a fait des progrès significatifs dans sa quête de développement des secteurs du tourisme et des arts. Notre présentateur invité et membre de la Fraternité VoyagesAfriq, Franck Olivier Kra, s’entretient avec le Ministre dans ce podcast

CEO of South African Tourism Sisa Ntshona reveals plans to reviveTourism

In today’s episode, the CEO of South African Tourism Sisa Ntshona outlines measures instituted to restart tourism in a responsible way and SAT’s short to medium-term plans to protect the tourism industry as the sector battles the ever-changing coronavirus pandemic. 

The Future of Business Events with Claude Blanc

In today’s episode, the Portfolio Director, World Travel Market and IBTM Events Claude Blanc takes a deeper look at the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on the meetings industry and what the sector has learned to help accelerate the recovery process. Claude has an impressive track record of more than 25 years in top management roles in the travel industry, with extensive experience in both the leisure and business events sectors.
Claude has an impressive track record of more than 25 years in top management roles in the travel industry, with extensive experience in both the leisure and business events sectors. Claude became Portfolio Director of IBTM Events in November 2020, a remit he manages alongside his role as Portfolio Director of World Travel Market (WTM). On his appointment to IBTM Events, Claude said: “I’m really looking forward to continuing to support the IBTM global community on the road to recovery and beyond.”
IBTM Events and World Travel Market are owned by the world’s leading exhibition organiser, Reed Exhibitions. The IBTM portfolio includes IBTM World, IBTM Africa, IBTM Americas, IBTM Asia Pacific, IBTM Virtual and IBTM Connect. Claude has been Portfolio Director of WTM since October 2018, a portfolio which includes WTM London, Travel Forward, the International Travel & Tourism Awards, WTM Africa, Arabian Travel Market and WTM Latin America.
Prior to joining Reed Exhibitions, Claude was Chief Executive Officer at Paris-based Travel & Co, a tour operating group he founded in 2007. Before that, he was Digital Travel Director at TUI Group, and he has held senior posts with a leading online travel agency in France; travel management company Rosenbluth International; and timeshare exchange company RCI.

Tourism Data Collection will be key to building back better- Sandra Carvao

Today’s episode looks at the crucial role of data collection as the tourism world aims to build back better. Sandra Carvao, Head of Market Intelligence and Competitiveness at the World Tourism Organization is my Guest.  She will help me unpack the topic and also dive deep into UNWTO's Tourism dashboard and recovery tracker.

How a passion for customer interaction has seen a young Pilot choose Cabin Crew over flying: Namibia's Beuli Opperman bares it all

My Guest Beuli Opperman a Namibian Commercial pilot turned cabin crew attendant tells the story of how her passion for serving people has seen her taking a permanent job as West Air's cabin crew head. 
Beuli Opperman - 21 Born 18/09/1999 in the little farming town of Gobabis in Namibia, Beuli grew up on a farm, not knowing much about aviation. Later in life after completing schooling in Gobabis she was drawn to a life in Aviation and began pilot training at Signa Aviation in Windhoek. After completing her private pilot's license, she started working at Westair Aviation as a cabin crew, to help subsidize the cost of her Commercial Pilot license.  While working as a cabin crew Beuli realized that this would be a more suited career choice for her as will enable her to still satisfy her love for aviation, but at the same time could have a more personal interaction with the passengers.
She says she will always keep her private pilot's license current, allowing her to fly whenever she wants. 
 
 
 

Remarkable Twenty year Journey in Ghana's Hotel Sector; the story of George Ayisi-Sales Manager Labadi Beach Hotel

In today's episode my Guest George Ayisi, the Sales Manager at Ghana's Labadi Beach Hotel recounts his two decades working in the same hotel and highlights of his career where he had the opportunity to serve the visiting former US President George W Bush to Ghana. He believes Ghana can do more to grow its tourism

CEO of West Air Aviation Henri Van Schalkwyk opens up on Airline's Pan African vision

In this episode, the CEO of WestAir Aviation Henri van Schalkwyk gives an account of how the airline survived the disruptive coronavirus pandemic and their quest to support Namibia's tourism revival strategy as well the vision of WestAir to have a foothold on the southern African market. The airline currently has operations in South Africa, Angola, Senegal, Mozambique, and Mali with diversified aviation operations.