CAPE TOWN – Hosted Buyer registration for the upcoming fully virtual Africa Travel Week (ATW), comprising World Travel Market Africa (WTMA) and International Luxury Travel Market Africa (ILTMA) has officially gone live – the first important step in hosting this much-needed platform connecting tourism industry professionals from Africa with the rest of the world.
Hosted Buyers have responded with enthusiasm, saying they had expected the event to be held virtually due to the ever-changing travel regulations across the world and were grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with their industry colleagues in this format.
“Our Hosted Buyers are delighted that the event will continue to take place,” says Megan Oberholzer, Portfolio Director: Travel, Tourism & Creative Industries. “The feedback we have received from buyers in North America, Europe, South America and Asia has been overwhelmingly positive, with our Hosted Buyers saying while they would have wished to connect in person, they’re excited they will have an opportunity to connect, albeit virtually. Rao Usha from Rao Travel in the USA is pleased the show will still be held. “I’m glad that this will be virtual, especially since it had to be cancelled in 2020.”
Marcela Souza from Live In Travel says WTM Africa has always been very important to her. “Being able to participate having started my own company, is even more essential now. Africa is one of the destinations we most want to work with. For us Brazilians, it is an incredible destination.”
Allan Falck, Executive Director Sundance Spirit is looking forward to another “highly productive, successful and superbly conducted WTM Africa”. Says Falck: “Anything Reed Exhibitions has in hand and organises is so professionally delivered. You have our support.”
With attendees’ safety remaining the top priority, Reed Exhibitions Africa took the proactive decision earlier this month to announce a fully digital WTM Africa, with a focus on a show experience that delivers solid opportunities for business growth.
The virtual format of WTM Africa will also apply to its suite of sister shows including International Luxury Market Africa (ILTMA), International Business Tourism Market Africa (IBTMA), The Sports & Tourism Exchange (SETE), Africa Tourism Investment Summit (ATIS), Travel Forward and EQUAL Africa.
“Our virtual event platform makes it easy for delegates to participate in one-on-one meetings across the three days to accommodate different time zones. We already have buyers registered from the USA, UK, UAE, Spain, Poland, India, Germany, China, France, Brazil and Argentina, among others. Attendees will also benefit from additional value-adds such as directory listings, speed networking sessions, roundtable discussions, and forums from industry experts on a range of topics from hospitality, tourism, and aviation, to sustainability, resilience and recovery. Details on these will follow soon,” explains Oberholzer.
She adds: “We have retained the virtual event on the same dates in April as the live event, as this is the correct time for the contracting season in Africa. This ensures that the timing is ripe for registered delegates to conduct meaningful business together and to collaborate on making travel happen to Africa again.”
