ATA Members & Partners Guidebook A ATA MEMBER LIINKS New page of business links Africa Travel Association (ATA) Mission The Africa Travel Association (ATA) is the premiere international travel industry trade association, promoting tourism to the African continent and intra-Africa travel and partnership since 1975.  ATA membership includes African Ministries of Tourism, Tourism Boards, airlines, hoteliers, travel agents, tour operators, media, public relations firms, NGOs, and other individuals actively engaged in the promotion of travel to the African continent Benefits of ATA Membership ATA Hosts Ethiopian Road Show in Four US Cities Flashback: Ethiopia's Ministry of Culture and Tourism participated in a two-week promotional visit to the United States with stops in New York City, New York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Georgia, and El Segundo, California from March 12-21. Organized by ATA headquarters and local US chapters, the nine-day, four-city tour brought ministry officials together with more than 500 industry experts, chapter members, government officials, and Ethiopian Diaspora community members to raise awareness of ATA's 32nd Congress in Addis Ababa. Africa, Living, Loving and Learning South Africa Gears Up for 2010 World Cup ATA and the Africa-America Institute (AAI) co-hosted a meeting on "South Africa, Sport and Tourism" in New York on March 6. The discussion focused on opportunities facing South Africa and Africa in preparation for the World Cup. The South Africa government plans to turn the event into the most commercially successful World Cup since the first tournament 76 years ago. Participants also discussed how the event can help South Africa achieve sustainable economic growth, and how ATA and AAI can help make this happen. The meeting was attended by Hon. Gert Oosthuizen, South Africa's Deputy Minister of Sport , Ilana Kloss, former world-class tennis player and CEO and Commissioner of World Team Tennis, and other members of the South African sports and tourism community.         More News from ATA Nigeria Hosts ATA's 10th Annual EcoTourism Symposium Nigeria welcomed more than 300 delegates from around the world; Cameroon, Canada, Ghana, Israel, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, United States, and Zambia - to Cross River State's capital city of Calabar for ATA's EcoTourism Symposium in November. Hosted by the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Cross River State Tourism Bureau, the event focused on showcasing travel destinations in Nigeria and throughout the continent, and reaching out to Africa's Diaspora communities around the world. "The African continent is richly endowed with extensive protected areas encompassing a variety of idyllic ecosystems and exquisite traditional cultures," stated President Olusegun Obasanjo in his welcoming remarks at the Symposium's opening ceremony. "Africa has obvious competitive advantages over other regions of the world." Cross River State Governor Donald Duke welcomed the delegates to the country's southern port city of Calabar, known as the "cleanest city in Nigeria." He highlighted Cross River State's promise as an international tourist destination, particularly his dream tourism project, the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort. ATA Executive Director Eddie Bergman said, "the world can come to appreciate the amazing country of Nigeria through the travel industry, which most often generates positive news on Africa." The event also presented tourism ministers, heads of national tourism boards, travel experts, and private sector investors with opportunities to network. For the first time, the Symposium included a young professionals leadership forum, bringing professionals and students together to network and learn about Africa's tourism potential. ATA President Speaks to Africa Travel Forum More than 40 travel leaders, tour operators, media representatives, faculty and students met with ATA President and Ghana's Tourism and Diaspora Affairs Minister Honorable Jake Otanka Obetsebi- Lamptey, at NYU's Africa House. The mid-January reception focused on promoting tourism to Africa, highlighting Ghana's success at attracting African Diaspora communities to the country. "Until we continue to develop Africa, we cannot move forward," said the ATA President. He also drew attention to the need for African Diaspora communities to play a role. "We want our people [in the Diaspora] to come back and unlock the wealth of the continent." City University of New York (CUNY) also hosted the Minister at an event, which included CUNY Vice Chancellor, Kingsborough Community College's Tourism and Hospitality Department founder, and Nigerian Consulate representatives. The Minister spoke about education and emerging opportunities for youth and volunteer travel to Africa. China: New Market Presents New Opportunities As China's outbound travel grows, so does ATA. ATA Executive Director Eddie Bergman recently appointed Selina Wang as ATA's first China Outbound Market Project Coordinator. Wang's responsibilities include recruiting members from China to participate in ATA's events. She will also represent ATA and its new members at travel expos in China. Thanks to Ethiopian Airlines, in March, Wang represented ATA at the Guangzhou International Travel Fair. Next, ATA will take part in the China Outbound and Tourism Market (COTTM) Travel Expo in Beijing from May 14-16, and the World Tourism Marketing Summit (WTMS) in Beijing from October 28-30. AFRAA - ATA Agreement More->\ First Steps in Africa- Asia Pacific Tourism Cooperation (More) ATA Team Visits the Republic of the Congo On a six-day visit to the Congo, an ATA leadership delegation met with Honorable Minister of Environment and Forestry Henry Djombo (left) to explore how ATA can help promote travel to Congo. To increase awareness of Congo's ecotourism offerings, the US-based nonprofit organization, Conservation International, hosted the ATA team at Nouabale-Ndoki National Park. Discussions with Minister Djombo, as well as Honorable Minister of Culture, Art, and Tourism Jean Claude Gackosso and private sector representatives (i.e. ATA chapter member Jean-Claude MobaliBanda) also focused on how Congo could help ATA develop a strategic partnership with the AU (African Union). These talks built on ATA's previous dialogue with AU representatives in Addis Ababa in December. [At the time of ATA's visit, Congo President Denis Sassou- Nguesso chaired the AU's Assembly of Heads of State and Government.] ATA also presented its May 2007 Ethiopian Congress to the Ministers and encouraged Congo's participation in ATA's 32nd annual Congress. Thanks to Ethiopia Airlines for supporting ATA's visit to Central West Africa. ATA Addresses Nigeria Diaspora in Toronto ATA Executive Director Bergman was invited to speak at the Nigeria Worldwide Diaspora Conference in Canada in January. Organized by the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization (NIDO), the event attracted hundreds of people from the Nigerian Diaspora community around the world, as well as Nigerian government officials. Bergman challenged the audience to invest in businesses supporting tourism. "In the U.S. alone there are over three million individuals of Nigerian descent. Just imagine if 10% of this market enjoyed their annual vacation in Nigeria and spent an average of $3,000 per visit. This represents approximately $900 million additional exports per year, in an industry that relies on human resources and generates employment."  INDUSTRY BRIEFS The East African Community (EAC) Secretariat plans to market three member states (Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda) as a single tourism destination under the banner "East Africa Village" (eTN). China now grants tourist destination status to 26 African countries, according to a plan endorsed by Chinese and African leaders at the Beijing summit (eTN). China Southern Airlines began air service between China and Lagos, Nigeria (eTN). New ATA Headquarters: Africa Travel Association 166 Madison Avenue, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10016 1-212-447-1357, Info@africatravelassociation.org ......