The VA TourismPodcast

The Changing Narrative of Travel Journalists in the New Normal

As the world celebrates the world tourism day today 27th September, Nigerian Travel Journalist Obinna Emelike of Business Day Newspaper and Jeannette Ceja a US Travel reporter and anchor of Jetsett with Jeannette looks at how travel journalists can contribute to making tourism a social force for good. 
Jeannette is a bilingual Travel Journalist, TV Host, Travel Advisor, and a Global Public Speaker. Her work has appeared on ABC7 Los Angeles, FOX 11 Los Angeles, Mexico Travel Channel, KUSI News, and many more media outlets around the world. This year, Jeannette was a speaker at The Women Economic Forum in Cairo, Egypt. While in Cairo, she received the award: Iconic Women Creating a Better World for All. Last year, she was awarded as one of the top 20 Global Women of Excellence by U.S. Congressman Danny K. Davis and the Multi-Ethnic Advisory Task Force. Jeannette was also one of the nominees for Best Travel Creator at The Tecla Awards - part of the 10th annual Hispanicize conference - honoring Latinx contributions to media. This year, she partnered with Visit Pasadena as the tourism board's official bilingual spokesperson on National Plan For Vacation Day.
In 2018, Jeannette was the Official Travel Host for The World Woman Summit at the Clinton Presidential Center. Where she was recognized as Travel Host of the Year. The same year, Jeannette was named a Power Player by  Angeleno Magazine. A respected Speaker, Jeannette has spoken at travel conferences all over the world including The Women Economic Forum Mexico City, The Women in Travel Summit, The New York Travel Festival,  Tourism in Romania Conference, Impact Travel Immersion Conference, Epic  Mastermind Conference, Travel Talks and the Travel Unity- Economic  Development through Diversity Summit.
EMELIKE OBINNA is an award-winning journalist with over 10 years of experience. He majors in Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality, which he reports with passion. Apart from heading the Travel and Tourism Desk, the Assistant Editor at BusinessDay, scouts visitors for top destinations and he does flight checks for some airlines. He was a member of the Naija Seven Wonders expedition in 2014, a South African Specialist, and a recipient of the Tourism Reporting Seal of Honour by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC). He won the Culture Category, CNN/Multichoice African Journalists Awards 2014, among other awards.

Making Heritage and Culture inherent Part of Tourism - A Conversation with Chris Flynn

In this episode, my guest Chris Flynn, President & CEO of the World Tourism Association for Culture & Heritage discusses in detail the impacts of covid19 on the culture and heritage sectors and advises destinations to make them core pillars as tourism restarts. Chris' position requires liaison at the most senior levels of Industry, Government and Academia.
With 36 years of experience in international tourism working in a wide range of countries across four continents, Chris has an intimate knowledge of the industry and the requirements needed to identify critical trends that have the potential to influence future tourism development and expansion. Recognised as a leading specialist in terms of innovation and strategy, Chris is often requested to speak at high profile conferences and events and provides insights to leading news media channels such as BBC World News Asia Business Report, which boasts a live global audience in excess of 300m
His expertise is also sought by leading Australian and International Universities and Faculties. Educating our future industry leaders is one of Chris’s passions.

Ghana aims at becoming West Africa's Preferred Tourist Destination- Divine Owusu Ansah opens up on Tourism Development Project

In this episode, the Project Director of Ghana’s Tourism Development Project Divine Owusu Ansah delves deeper into the aims and aspirations of the World Bank Facility project which is expected to be the game-changer.

VA Tourism News Wrap19

The VA #TourismNewsWrap19 is a 360 roundup of the latest news in the Travel and Tourism sector. It sums up what you missed the previous week. The video captures, in brief, the major stories. Headline -World Tourism Day 2020: Global Community unites to celebrate Tourism and Rural Development // M-NET Showcases the Immense Beauty of Limpopo in Legacy Series //IFEMA unveils FITUR MICE for next year’s Expo// Seychelles Tourism Board rolls out '' Our Home, your Sanctuary'' Digital Campaign

Building Back Tourism in South Africa's Limpopo Province - Nomasonto Ndlovu Bares it all

In this episode, my guest Nomasonto Ndlovu CEO of the Limpopo Tourism Agency and astute marketer discusses the strategies deployed by the Tourism Agency to restart Tourism in South Africa’s northernmost province.
Nomasonto Ndlovu does not only have a passion for brands, but also the special touch of turning them into household names. With more than ten years of classical brand marketing experience gained within the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) industry, specifically at Unilever South Africa, she has already worked on various local and global brands in various positions over the years.
She became the Global Manager: Business Tourism at South African Tourism (SAT) for three years, where she was responsible for marketing South Africa as a premier business tourism destination globally. Here, she led and contributed to growing Meetings Africa, a marketing platform to showcase South Africa as a business tourism destination
She has also held the position of Head: Brand Marketing, Sponsorships and Events at Standard Bank’s Corporate and Investment Banking Division (CIB), where she was responsible for strategic marketing and profiling of various CIB products as well as utilising events strategically to achieve organisation’s objectives.She was Strategic Executive Director for Communications, Marketing & Events Department at the City of Tshwane. Nomasonto is also the former Chairman for the South African Golf Tourism Association.
She is a full-time mother of two enthusiastic boys (11 and 8), keen golfer and enjoys reading and traveling (particularly in Africa).

Breaking down the Year of Return Numbers and Delving into Beyond the Return Project- A Conversation with Akwasi Agyeman

In this episode, my Guest, one of the main architects of the hugely successful Year of Return, Ghana 2019 campaign Akwasi Agyeman, CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority continues his pivotal role as the Coordinator of the Beyond the return initiative, a 10-year ambitious plan pivoted on 7 pillars gives an overview of last year’s event, and delves into the inspiration for the new project. 
Akwasi Agyeman, is the CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, the lead Public Service Agency in charge of regulating tourism in Ghana through marketing and promotion, licensing and classification of tourism facilities and services, investments, research and development. Prior to his appointment in January 2017, he was a shareholding partner of Global Media Alliance, a Media Consultancy and broadcasting company. As the Managing Director of its broadcasting operations, he was in charge of one TV Station and four radio stations. Until recently, he was the President of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA). He holds an MBA in Marketing and Information Systems from Tulane University in Louisiana (2003), USA – an MBA Merit Scholarship Recipient. He also holds a Bachelors's degree in Social Sciences (1993) and a Masters in Public Administration (MPA -1996) from the University of Ghana.
He has over 15 years’ experience in Project Management, Crisis Communications, PR and Media Relations, Banking, and Relationship Management across Africa and has worked in senior-level capacities with Ecobank, Merchant Bank, Stanbic Bank in South Africa. Prior to joining GMA as a founding partner in Ghana, Akwasi was a Business Analyst for Entergy Inc. in New Orleans, USA.
Akwasi was recently awarded at the Radio and TV Personality awards for his outstanding contribution to Media Excellence in Ghana. He is a devout Christian and a devoted family man with three children.

VA Tourism NewsWrap18

The VA #TourismNewsWrap18 is a 360 roundup of the latest news in the Travel and Tourism sector. It sums up what you missed the previous week. The video captures, in brief, the major stories. Headlines: •112th UNWTO Executive Council Meeting Concludes in Tbilisi//2020 WTM London Moves Online //South Africa Announces Reopening of International Borders from Oct 1// Qatar Airways to Launch Four Weekly Flights to Ghana//Best Job Ever Tourism Documentary Premieres//Ethiopian Airlines Resume Daily Flights to Accra// ATLF  Set for Hybrid Event in Kigali More news on www.voyagesafriq.com

CEO of AvacoMornami ,Victor Constantino gives an insight on Restarting Tourism in Cabo Verde

In this conversation, Victor Constantino, CEO of Avaco Mornami takes a swipe at the Cabo Verde Government’s approach to restart the tourism sector and advises the Country’s Tourism Ministry to engage private sector stakeholders to develop practical and sustainable solutions in order to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the sector. 
Victor holds Post-Graduate in Management and Master in Management (Dakar -Senegal) and Project Manager SAPM (Stanford-USA). Graduated in Economics from Cheikh Anta Diop University (Dakar-Senegal). In the professional field, with sixteen years (16) of experience and already taken relevant positions in companies in Cabo Verde, I give lectures and conferences on business management and Strategic Planning, Leadership and Project Preparation & Implementation. He organized 3 times the Global Entrepreneurship Weekend (GEW). 
In 2013 after the 1st Cabo Verdean Young Executives Training Course for Leadership, promoted by the Pedro Pires Institute for Leadership, he participated in the Summer Course on Leadership in the USA being part of the top 10 first course for Cabo Verdean executives. Victor worked as a Senior Consultant at the Strategic Policy Centre which is a Think Thank attached to the Office of the Prime Minister of Cabo Verde.