THE AFRICA TRAVEL ASSOCIATION RETURNS TO NAIROBI IN NOVEMBER
(Posted 15th April 2015)
The Africa Travel Association, dedicated to exclusively promoting tourism to Africa, will hold its 40th Annual World Congress in Nairobi, Kenya between the 09th and 14th of November. The international tourism meeting will be hosted by the Kenya Ministry of East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism. Known as Magical Kenya, the country offers an abundance of opportunities to watch wildlife in its natural environment, as well as offers visitors an astonishing diversity of landscapes and cultures. As the East African hub for aviation, business and technology, the country is known for its excellent domestic travel infrastructure and the wide range of tourism activities and services it provides for its visitors. From tropical forests and beaches to vast deserts and majestic mountains, tourists in Kenya can experience a different safari every day.
The ATA Congresses provide a unique networking, learning, and agenda-shaping platform for Africa tourism stakeholders. The 2015 program will include a line-up of educational and professional development sessions, a Tourism Ministers’ Roundtable, sessions to Meet the Ministers, Meet the Media, and Africa Meets the World, where buyers and suppliers will meet. The congress will also offer participants visits to Nairobi’s top sites and a range of networking events, including a Kenya Culture Night and the ATA Awards Ceremony, receptions, working lunches, and a gala dinner.
As the early founding members of the association, the Kenyan government shares a special connection with ATA. The first ATA Congress in Africa was hosted in Kenya in 1976 and the Kenyan Government has fostered a tradition of hosting the ATA Congress every ten years. ATA Executive Director Edward Bergman is quoted to saying: ‘On the occasion of ATA’s 40th anniversary, we are eager to return to Kenya for this milestone in ATA’s history. We are delighted to bring together the public and private sectors, travel industry, and media to participate in the Congress. This also comes at an important time to showcase Kenyan tourism to show that Kenya is an incredible destination, is open for business, and deserves our attention. We encourage the travel industry to stand with Kenya and support tourism’.
It was learned that during the Kenya Host Country Day, delegates will visit the Lake Nakuru National Park, located about 160 kilometres from Nairobi into the Great African Rift Valley. The lake itself is known as the home to tens and often hundreds of thousands of flamingos that feed on the algae formed on the lake bed. Not only does the lake attract flamingos, but as part of a National Park, both the black and white rhino can be sighted as well as large herds of giraffes, zebra, impalas, waterbuck, and buffalos. As part of the Host Country Day and an ATA tradition, delegates will take part in a tree-planting ceremony at Lake Nakuru as a symbol of long-lasting relationships and as an initiative to achieve a better global environment.
ATA Congress delegates include African tourism ministers, industry professionals representing tourism boards, destination representatives, travel agents, tour operators, ground operators, airlines, hotels and accommodations, service providers, and of course key players from the global travel media. Participants from the corporate, NGO and academic sectors are also expected to attend the congress along with travel and hospitality students.
Pre- and post-Congress tours will also be available to explore Magical Kenya beyond the Congress. For more information about Destination Kenya click on www.magicalkenya.com
More information on the program, hotel accommodations, and special airfares will be posted on ATA’s website at: www.africatravelassociation.org/worldcongress.
