The VA TourismPodcast

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.

African Aviation Expert, Fadimatou Simo wants to leverage Aviation and Tourism to Create Sustainable Jobs for the Youth in Cameroon and the CEMAC Region

In this episode, the Founder of YAAPA Fadimatou Noutchemo Simo believes the pandemic has offered Cameroon a fine opportunity to reinvent its tourism and aviation sectors. Fadi has also launched her AviaTour project which seeks to train and offer sustainable job opportunities for the youth in Cameroon and the CEMAC Region.
Fadimatou Noutchemo SIMO is Founder and President of the YOUNG AFRICAN AVIATION PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION (YAAPA) and HEFA Group her aviation consultancy firm that also specializes in promoting travel, tour, and trade globally. Winner of the IATA High Flyer Award 2019, the Commonwealth point of light 2019, and the AFCAC Recognition certificate for promoting the industry to the NextGen, she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and an IATA diploma for airline management.
 She founded YAAPA in 2014 a nonprofit organization to educate youths through communication on aviation careers, as well as create a platform of exchange between the aviation stakeholders and the next generation of aviation professionals in Africa to meet up with the future demand of skilled workers in the industry.Fadi is a member of the women in Aviation International Organization and actively promotes gender equality across the continent by advocating for stakeholders to invest more in human capital development through innovative methods in Africa to ensure safe and secure aviation for the next generation. Her message for gender equality in the African aviation industry is for each male professional to identify a woman they will Inspire, Mentor and Empower to have more women in Aviation.
YAAPA has launched its Youth Aviation Tech Africa Program to enable the Young Africans passionate in aviation and ICT to work on solutions that are adapted to our aviation infrastructures as well as its community centers to promote aviation to facilitate tourism amongst the Next generation of Young Africans to ensure no country is left behind.

Conversation with Convener of Africa Tourism Leadership Forum, Kwakye Donkor

In this episode the CEO of Africa Tourism Partners and Convener of Africa Tourism Leadership Forum Kwakye Donkor advocates for Government support for Tourism SMEs in Africa to help them revive their businesses and gives an update on this year’s ATLF event scheduled to come off in Kigali, Rwanda.
Kwakye is an Experienced Marketing and Communications professional with a demonstrated history of working in education, financial services, hotel & hospitality and travel & tourism industries. Skilled and strong in Strategy Formulation, Business Advisory, Leadership Development & Coaching, Brand Strategy Development & Management, Market Planning, Mega Planning & Project Management and Hotel & Resort Development Advisory. Strong professional graduated from IMM Graduate School of Marketing, IMC and BSN.