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The Kingdom of Eswatini Tourism Authority joins African Tourism Board

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The Eswatini Tourism Authority joined the African Tourism Board as an observer today. Under the leadership of CEO Linda Nxumalo.
Eswatini is also known as Swaziland, a Kingdom in the southern part of Africa.

The Eswatini Tourism Authority is a Public Enterprise established through the Swaziland Tourism Authority Act, 2001 and its objectives are to: 

a. develop the tourism sector as a national priority in an environmentally sustainable and culturally acceptable manner;
b. co-ordinate and facilitate the implementation of Government policies and strategies on tourism;
c. market Eswatini as a tourism destination through the provision of a platform for industry stakeholders;
d. encourage, facilitate and promote local and foreign investment in the tourism industry; and
e. ensure the contribution of tourism to the socio-economic development and continued improvement of quality of life in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

According to Ms. Nxumalo, the objectives for participating in the Africa Tourism Board are to:

1) Share ideas with other Tourism Boards and also learn from their experiences.
2) Identify stakeholders that we can partner with in promoting tourism for our country.

African Tourism Board President Alain St. Ange said: “We are excited to also officially welcome Eswatini. We thank CEO Linda Nxumalo who I met at our launch event at the World Travel Market in Cape Town. Eswatini has been active on our discussion board and we had been in constant contact. We’re looking forward to working with the Kingdom’s tourism authority for even more visibility for this beautiful and peaceful African destination.”

More information on Eswatini Tourism can be found on www.thekingdomofeswatini.com

Founded in 2018, the African Tourism Board an association that is internationally acclaimed for acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of travel and tourism to, from the African region. More information on www.africantourismboard.com

Eswatini Tourism Authoriy, Eswatini
The Kingdom of Eswatini Tourism Authority Teams up with African Tourism Board

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Seychelles Tourism Board Chief Executive sits on Tourism Panel at the sixth Annual Destination Wedding Planners Congress in Dubai

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Seychelles was bestowed with high honours as the destination was represented at the Tourism Panel at the Destination Wedding Planners (DWP) Congress from March 27 to 29 2019, held in Dubai’s iconic five-star hotel and luxury resort, Atlantis the Palm.

The Seychelles delegation at the DWP event comprised of The Seychelles Tourism Board (STB) Chief Executive, Mrs. Sherin Francis and STB representative in Dubai, Ahmed Fathallah.

The STB Chief Executive who was present at the event as a destination speaker represented on the Tourism Panel, which was moderated by Conde Nast Traveller Editor-in-Chief in UAE Rhea Saran.

The panel also comprised of the Carlotta Ferrari, Director at the Destination Florence Convention and Visitors Bureau; Srisuda Wanapinyosak, Deputy Governor for the Tourism Authority in Thailand and Assistant Vice President for Dubai Tourism, Steen Jakobsen.

The discussions focused on the role of tourism boards in promoting destination weddings, collaboration with local suppliers and partners as well as the enhancement of the wedding industry in every destination.

During her intervention, Mrs. Francis reflected on the tourism board’s standpoint of the destination and its marketing in relations to Seychelles as a wedding and honeymoon destination. Presenting the archipelago as an ideal location to create perfect memories for occasions like wedding, honeymoons, anniversaries or impromptu romantic breaks.

“Seychelles is one place where beauty and year-round tropical warmth ensure that love is always in the air. For the last few decades, our clientele for weddings and honeymoon has been predominantly Europeans specially British, French, German and Italian. It has been a pleasure to note that recently there has been an expansion in our clientele and a shift in trends. We have noted wedding requests from the Americans, from India, and China. As a tourism board, we endeavor to remain one of the top destinations that one would think of to create special memories,” said Chief Executive Sherin Francis.

“Couples and honeymooners remain to be the top segment for getaways bound to Seychelles from the GCC market for the past year.

Thanks to the destination’s naturally romantic and unspoilt surroundings of pristine beaches, calm waters and year-round sunshine, the Seychelles truly offers the perfect location for a truly luxurious wedding or honeymoon destination. The Seychelles is not only well-worth a holiday, but are also the ideal destination for a wedding,” said Fathallah.

It is apparent that Seychelles remain to be a natural backdrop for weddings and honeymoons as the destination evokes romance.

Surrounded by granite outcrops, cloud-white sand and azure waters, this luxurious archipelago offers both romance and adventure for a wedding day. It is deliciously remote; brimming with picture perfect beaches and is quite simply a taste of paradise.

The DWP event is a premium business-to-business networking event and has cemented its position as one the Best Congress in the World for promoting Destination Wedding Tourism.

The DWP Congress industry organized by Dubai based QnA Global is a luxury invitation-only business platform that brings together more than 500 destination wedding specialists from over 70 countries under one roof.

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2nd annual Africa Business and MICE Tourism Master Class to be held in Johannesburg this June

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The 2nd edition of the Africa Business and MICE Master Class will be held in Johannesburg at the BDO South Africa offices from June 10-12, 2019. The African Tourism Board is a supporting partner for this event. This program will grant industry professionals and practitioners from across Africa an opportunity to learn from renowned industry experts, connect with like-minded individuals and benefit from first-hand advice on how to advance growth in their organisations, businesses and destinations. This class will be presented by Africa Tourism Partners and its lead strategic partners, BDO South Africa and South Africa Conference Association Industry (SAACI). “Collaboration is integral to the growth of the MICE industry across Africa. BDO is proud to be associated with the Africa MICE Masterclass program where not only newcomers benefit from the expertise of established industry players, but the experts also learn from each other,” highlights Christelle Grohmann, Director, BDO Advisory. “We look forward to hosting you from June 10-12 at our office in Johannesburg,” she adds.

This year’s program has been designed in response to the high interest and recognition that the 2018 Africa Business and MICE Master Class received, making it a sought-after Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and Capacity Building program among practitioners and professionals. The inaugural course was held at the same time last year and featured illustrious industry experts and attendees from 14 African countries including Botswana, Ghana, Madagascar, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, Swaziland, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia. “Many attendees at the Africa MICE Masterclass 2018 voiced their satisfaction with the event indicating that the intimate and interactive format and the depth and range of knowledge of the speakers kept them absorbed throughout. Even the speakers commented on it being a well-rounded learning experience that also benefited them. This is industry learning from industry from real working examples,” states Lee-Anne Bac, Director, BDO Advisory & Masterclass 2018 Attendee.

Considering the increased number of African exhibitors and buyers who participated at the 2019 Meetings Africa held in February this year, it is apparent that more countries, tourism boards, convention bureaus, conference facilities, professional conference organizers and the entire African Business and MICE Tourism community now appreciate the significance of the sector. Speaking at the 2019 Meetings Africa, South Africa Minister of Tourism, Mr. Derek Hanekom stated that Business Tourism has earned its place at the economic table. He also revealed that the sector earned R71 billion revenue and contributed R115 billion to South Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This buttresses the sector’s relevance in African economies.

The Master Class is a two-and-a-half day CPD program designed with a variety of theory and practical sessions and the opportunity for further engagement in the form of business-to-business meetings. It will be conducted in conjunction with BDO South Africa, and key industry associations, including SAACI. The course is delivered by faculty experts through a practical and interactive Action-Learning methodology. This approach allows attendees to gain fresh industry insights and global best practices, learn from industry experts and connect with executives from across the continent.

To register, for Business-to-Business or sponsorship opportunities please contact: Ms. Aretha Nozipho Bohlela at: [email protected] or +27 81 303 7030.

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Heart of Europe Travel Summit set for Dubai this month

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In a combined effort, Atout France’s travel trade workshop, Marhaba, will kick off its two-day event on April 24 while the national tourist boards of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria will take over on April 26 and host the Heart of Europe Travel Summit at Sofitel, The Palm Resort & Spa, Dubai.

Demonstrating their commitment to the Gulf region, the European national tourist boards of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and France are hosting an exclusive networking event in Dubai this April, ahead of Arabian Travel Market (ATM).

More than 40 tourism suppliers from France and 80 from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria ranging from local tourist boards, hotels, destination management companies, airports, shopping facilities, and transport companies as well as medical clinics are looking forward to developing knowledge about the destinations, and also providing travel trade from the GCC with the opportunity to source products to enhance their holiday offerings for the summer season and beyond. The four tourism boards expect an attendance of over 100 buyers from the GCC region.

Highlighting the importance of the travel trade industry in the Gulf region, Sigrid de Mazieres, Director–Gulf Countries, German National Tourist Office, said, “We are excited to collaborate with our European neighboring countries, and to facilitate business relations between our touristic partners and the local travel trade through this new innovative platform.”

The travel trade workshops will include pre-scheduled B2B appointments, cutting-edge presentations and extensive social programs to experience the destinations’ hospitality and networking opportunities with participating decision-makers.

“We believe that one of the many challenges facing the travel trade industry today is to keep abreast of the growing and changing needs of travelers from the region. This joint and unprecedented event is a direct response to assist the travel trade in selling our countries,” explained Karim Mekachera, Regional Director, Atout France Middle East.

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Beverly Hills SLS Hotel appoints new sales leader

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The SLS Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills welcomed Jake Megrikian as director of sales and marketing, following the property’s $22 million investment in redesign timed to its 10-year anniversary in 2018. Megrikian will oversee revenue production for the hotel’s newly-upgraded guestrooms and suites; meetings and events across 30,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space, including the refreshed Garden Terrace; and the hotel’s critically-acclaimed restaurants, including The Bazaar by José Andrés and Somni.

“Mr. Megrikian joins our team during a new chapter for the hotel, and we are thrilled to have him at the helm of our new identity in luxury,” says General Manager Christophe Thomas. “His understanding of the inner workings of a high-profile hotel, coupled with an innate marketing prowess will continue to position the SLS Beverly Hills as the city’s premier modern luxury destination on a global scale.”

Megrikian’s experience in hospitality began at age 15, working from the ground up in the food & beverage and banquet departments at the Hotel Marriott Armenia Yerevan. Within eight years of moving to the United States, Megrikian acquired management positions in room operations as well as events and sales across Marriott International and Hilton brands.

In 2011, Megrikian joined the InterContinental Los Angeles Century City at Beverly Hills team as a senior sales manager. As the youngest director of sales & marketing across InterContinental Hotels & Resorts worldwide when appointed, Megrikian proved an invaluable asset with record-breaking revenue production for both leisure and business bookings at InterContinental Los Angeles. By working closely with the Los Angeles and California tourism boards, Megrikian emphasized and positioned the hotel as a destination to major international markets.

Earning numerous accolades for leadership and development throughout his career, Megrikian received the 2014 SITE (Society for Incentive Travel Excellence) Kevin Forde Spirit Award and served as co-chair of SITE’s Young Leaders program, which brings together future leaders of the incentive and meetings industries. In 2017, Meetings Today Magazine spotlighted him on a list of “Meetings Trendsetters,” highlighting his passion and dedication to exceptional service in meetings and events.

His personal interests are in travel, aviation, and of course, spending time with his family. Megrikian’s global perspective is underscored by travel to over 33 countries and proficiency in three languages. He currently serves on the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board’s international sales committee.

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