The VA TourismPodcast

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.

Wellness Tourism and its prospect in Africa; A conversation with Marsha Paccou

In today's episode, Marsha Paccou an experienced health and life coach looks at wellness tourism and the prospects for Africa. She believes that every person should become fascinated with the way they work, and through this properly understand the ways in which they can nurture, cherish, and accept who they are through self-care and self-love. Accredited by the Health Coach Institute, USA, she coaches using International Coach Federation (ICF) tools and exercises whilst delivering her own unique framework for transformation. She inspires women to blossom through self-care and self-love. She also provides the support, structure, and strategy to empower them to not only become more successful but to also learn to love themselves along the way
 

An insight into Namibia's Tourism Revival; Conversation with Private Sector Leaders

Today's conversation is with two leaders in Namibia's tourism private sector. Chairperson of the Federation of  Namibian tourism association (FENATA) Netumbo Nashandi and Joseph Kafunda Chair of the Emerging Tourism Enterprise Association of Namibia. They discuss the tourism restart in Namibia and the Government's support in the tourism revival initiative.
 
 

Diversifying Tourism will make the sector more sustainable - Greg Bakunzi

In this episode, the Founder of Red Rocks Initiatives Greg Bakunzi talks about the urgent need for diversification in the tourism sector in order to help sustain their business and also recounts measures taken by the Government of Rwanda to get tourism restarted. Greg is passionate, about conservation, community-based tourism, environmental conservation, and developing skills that will help uplift the living standards of the locals, through collaboration and partnerships.

A Conversation with Winner of 2020 Africa Tourism Innovation Challenge Alin Murekatete

In this episode, Founder of Spree Rwanda and winner of the 2020 Tourism Innovation Challenge at Africa Tourism Leadership Forum Alin Murekatete discusses her motivation for the project and why she thinks now is the time to use technology to make tourism sustainable for destinations.

Up and Close with CEO of Rwanda Convention Bureau Nelly Mukazayire

Today’s episode is a conversation with the CEO of the Rwanda Convention Bureau Nelly Mukazayire. She gives a vivid account of the measures taken by the Rwandan Government to safely reopen the economy as well as the Bureau’s plans to consolidate its place as a MICE Powerhouse. Nelly is is a lover of sports and music.
Nelly Mukazayire is the Chief Executive Officer of Rwanda Convention Bureau, a private company established to market Rwanda as a preferred destination for MICE tourism (Meeting, Incentives, Conference and Events) and to ensure coordination and efficient execution of all international events happening in Rwanda.
Prior to that, she was the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Office of the President of Rwanda. She served as a Senior Advisor to the Chief of Staff in the Office of the President and before that, she was a policy researcher in the economics department in the Prime Minister’s Office. She holds a Bachelor of Science in International Economics from the University of Rwanda, where she was the recipient of the best performer award in economics, and a Master’s in Economic Policy Management, from the University of Makerere. 
Nelly is a motivational speaker who believes that Africans have a duty to transform their nations, change the narrative about their continent and lead it to prosperity. She speaks in different high-level forums especially youth conferences where she shares her journey of surmounting overwhelming personal circumstances, as well as her unique experience as a young leader in a new Rwanda, with the aim of motivating a new generation of Africans to be active leaders today. She was invited by the UNSG to speak at the UN headquarters about her journey as a young leader in the new Rwanda Nelly and her husband, Gapita Martin Fabrice are the proud parents of two children.