Coming up – the 4th edition of the Africa Travel Awards

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The 2016 edition of Africa Travel Awards will kick off on Monday 19th September with the release of the questionnaire online for Africans to choose what they consider the best players on the Travel and Tourism Landscape in Africa.
A pan African committee of Travel Professionals from different countries in Africa Drew up a Shortlist of nominees to be voted for by The public. The criteria for the choices were listed alongside the Nominees.

Africa Travel Awards promoted by the online Africa Travel News website www.atqnews.com will be having its 4th outing. The awards will be coming up on the 30th of October at the Travellers Night Dinner at Akwaaba African Travel Market. Voting is on http://atqnews.com/akwaaba2016.html

22 awards will be given out by the Awards. The committee members are drawn from East , West, South and central Africa and it is not surprising that most of the Nominees are from Sub Saharan Africa.

The committee members include Mr. Denis Gathanju, a passionate journalist and photographer based in East Africa. He travels the length and breath of the continent to capture the very best of the African life, culture and sights. He is also a tourism promoter within the East African region. He is a founder of Safari Communications, a company that publishes national tourism guidebooks for a number of African countries as well as producing corporate marketing material for tourism companies in the private sector.

Sandra IDOSSOU is an Afropolitan hotelier, trainer, mystery shopper, consultant, writer, author, traveler, publisher who has been expatriate in 8 African countries since 2000.very passionate about everything African, Quality of Service, Hospitality, Branding, Sales & Marketing, Communication, Consumers rights, Capacity Building especially among youth and entrepreneurs. She has trained people in more than 21 African countries and have travelled across 31 countries in Africa and in all continents, a multi cultured person that speak 7 languages. Her numerous travellings throughout Africa have made her realize the great opportunities the continent has and have become an advocate for anything than can positively brand Africa.

The company specialises on training for the hospitality and Service Industry on customer relationship, Sales, Marketing and Mystery Shopping. In Rwanda www.theservicemag.com publishes a free educative business magazine aimed at providing hands-on articles to business owners and top managers that support them in becoming more competitive. She also consult on Corporate Communication, branding and social media. She is a strong believer of Africa’s potential and a great advocate of all things “African”

Chiquita Afuluenu Johnson is the former National Tourism Consultant for the Republic of Liberia and CEO of West Tourism Management. Launched in 2015, this boutique tour operator is known for providing unique experiences in African destinations with special focus on luxury, responsible tourism, and tourism investment relations. With over 15 years of experience in the industry, along with a BSc in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management from Penn State University, and an Advance Diploma in Travel & Tourism from The Institute of Travel & Tourism The Gambia, it is truly safe to say that hospitality and tourism is her greatest passion, most especially in the African context.

Monique Swart who is the Founder of the African Business Travel Association (ABTA). She has worked within the association environment for the corporate travel industry for 17 years after initially starting her career with the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE) in 1999. Monique is known as an expert ‘connector’ and assists travel professionals to build their network across Africa by connecting them with their peers and potential partners and clients through ABTA education and networking events. ABTA is the only association of its kind in Africa focusing purely on the Corporate travel industry and is active in Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.

Other members Include Ali Diouf an Experienced Journalist from Senegal, Sheikh Tejan an Experienced Tourism Administrator from The Gambia. Charity Githinju a travel expert based in Tanzania. Siphelele Luthuli is a travel consultant and communication expert from South Africa. Khomotso Kelsall also a South African Based Travel Consultant. From Uganda is Barbra Adoso a leading Tour Operator, Nancy Sam Quartey from Ghana. Other Tour Operators include Benin Republic based Olanma Ojukwu, Fifi Rurungwa Kenya based Rwandan Operator. Rwanda based Catherine Mutuale, Nigeria based Atinuke Nwakohu. Kenyan Annet Nashipae are all Travel consultants

The Ghanaian Journalist Samuel Doe is joined by Nigerian Blogger Olori Supergal and Tunis Silas from The Gambia.

Some of the short listed Nominees include

A. African award for Sustainable Tourism.
This award is to any group or destination that is involved in best practices in Sustainable tourism as a way of encouraging others to emulate and improve.
1. Libassa Ecolodge, Liberia. 2. Rwanda Tourism

B. Best Business Class in Africa (restricted only to African Airlines)
1. Kenya Airways. 2. South African Airways. 3. Ethiopian Airlines.

C. Best Economy Class in Africa( restricted to only African Airlines)
Kenya Airways. 2. South African Airways. 3. Ethiopian Airlines. 4. RwandAir.

D. Airline with the Best inflight service in Africa (restricted to only African Airlines)
1. Ethiopian Airlines 2. Kenya Airways. 3. RwandAir.

E. Most Passenger friendly Airport in Africa.
This is Self explanatory and doesn’t go to the biggest or grandest Airport but to that Airport that provides the best travel experience to passengers.
1. Banjul Airport, Gambia. 2. OR Tambo Airport, Jo’burg, South Africa. 3. Cape Town Airport, South Africa. 4. Kotoka Airport, Accra Ghana. 5. Lome Airport, Togo.

F. African Aviation Personality.
This is to an individual, an institution or product that best exemplifies great Aviation innovation or great value in Africa that has played a great role in growing Aviation in Africa.
1. Carla Da Silva Air Mauritius 2. John Mirenge RwandAir.

G. Best Airline in Africa
This award is to the Airline that has given the best in Services, connections and good value for money to Travellers within and outside Africa.
1.Ethiopian Airlines. 2. Qatar. 3. Turkish

H. Best short haul Airline in Africa
This is to all the regional Airlines without intercontinental connections that fly to distances of about 4hours or less.
1. RwandAir. 2. Kulula. 3. ASKY . 4. SAA.

I. Best online Booking platform in Africa
1.Wakanow.com. 2. Kenya Airways.3. Tala Tours Ghana. 4. Travelstart. 5. Jumia Travels.

J. Tourism Marketing Award ( for Marketing within Africa)
1. South Africa Tourism. 2. Magical Kenya.

K. Best International Airline in Africa (for Non African Airlines)
This award includes all international Airlines that fly into Africa.
1.Turkish Airlines 2.Qatar Airways. 3. Brussels.

L . Best Business Hotel in Africa
1.Villa Rosa Kempinski, Kenya. 2. The Maslow Hotel, Jo’burg , South Africa. 3. Radisson Blu, Dakar, Senegal. 4. Coconut Grove, Accra, Ghana

M. Best Resort in Africa.
1.Maia Resort & Spa Seychelles, 2. Hotel Palace Royal Garden Tunisia. 3. Kempinski Ole Mara, Kenya

N. Best African Hotel chain (owned by an African registered Company )
Based on quality of service, Perception and value for money
1. Serena Hotels 2.Protea Hotel. 3. Sun International 4. Azalal Hotel

O. Best Hotel chain in Africa( this is open to all hotels operating in Africa)
Based on quality of service, Perception and value for money.
1. Serena 2. Starwood Hotels. 3. Tsogo Sun/Southern Sun . 4. Radisson

P. Hotel of the year(all hotels qualify)
1. The Maslow Hotel, Jo’burg South Africa. 2. Villa Rosa Kempinski, Nairobi, Kenya 3. Radisson Kigali. Rwanda . 4 . Table Bay Cape Town, South Africa

Q. Best Tourism Minister in Africa – the award goes to recognize the endeavors of a tourism minister from Africa who has played a significant role in not only driving the tourism agenda of his/her country, but also helping forge ties between African nations with a view to enhancing regional tourism.
1. Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare from Ghana. 2. Walter Mzembi from Zimbabwe 3. Fatou mas Jobe Njie from Gambia

R. African Tourism Personality – the award goes to recognize the work(s) of a tourism professional and/or institution in Africa that has played a critical role in advancing the tourism agenda. The scope of the works could be anything from wildlife conservation, advocacy to eco-tourism et al. The said person can be from either the public of private sector, but NOT an activist of whatever kind.

1.Late Ms. Belinda Mutihiri from Zimbabwe 2. Adama Bah from The Gambia. 3. Carmen Nibigira 4. Minister Malusa Gigaba from South Africa

S .Best Emerging Destination – this award will seek to identify a new and emerging tourism destination in Africa. This could be a country or a tourism circuit within a country or that transcends international boundaries. Facts to consider will be tourism potential of the destination and its impact to the people around the said destination .
1.Ghana .2 Rwanda. 3 Diani, Kenya

T .Best Tourism Blog/Blogger – 1.Kojo Bentum of Tourist Watch – Ghana 2Charlie Beauvoiser Diary of a muzungu Based in Uganda 3 Natalia Rosa of Big Ambitions Based in South Africa

U. African Culture Award
1. Carnival Calabar, Nigeria.2. Kwita Izina, Rwanda

V. African Restaurant of the year.
1. Pili Pili, Cotonou, Benin. 2. La Tante, Accra, Ghana. 3. Country Kitchen , Accra, Ghana. 4. The Tasting Room at La Quartier Francaise, Cape Town, South Africa