Africa Travel Library World Editions and Global Reach
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Goals and
Mission Statement for 2009 and
beyond Gerald W.E.
Bird We launched Africa
Travel Magazine in 1995 and after 14 years
the magazine has a substantial base of
advertisers, most of them located in
Africa. Our 4,000 page website ranks #1 on
Google and Yahoo for many Africa topics.
Thanks to an expanded global reach and
influence, it now generates over one
million hits every month. From this strong
foundation we are positioned to expand our
operations on the African Continent and
Global Diaspora. We can double our
business by publishing more of our
editions in French and expanding the
French language section of the website. We
can also enlarge the Air Highways and
Worldscene websites and establish an
African based marketing team for
advertising and exhibit space. We will
also introduce our own seminars and events
in addition to our efforts on behalf of
ATA, the Africa Travel Association and
ATTA, the Adventure Travel Trade
Association. For the above
purposes, I have decided to change by base
of operations to allow for half or more
time each year on the Continent of Africa.
This will require more flexibility in my
accommodation. Fortunately my office
travels with me thanks to digital
communications with laptop computers,
cellular phones, skype and other
services My career has
included many decades of management and
ownership experience in communications and
marketing, as a member of the media and an
advisor to small clients in advertising
and public relations. I am also an
effective organizer of trade shows and
plan to stage some events and road shows
at various African locations. At an age
where I am unrestricted and available to
travel on short notice, the time is ripe
for a change of focus so that I can
accomplish the results that will have a
lasting heritage for good works and
goodwill. In the past 15 years
most of my time has been devoted to Africa
Tourism and I have visited almost 20
countries, some on three or more
occasions, often spending a month or
longer. My most visited countries are
Ethiopia, Morocco, Ghana, Tanzania,
Cameroon and South Africa. My partner was born
in Africa and is fluent in French, having
worked in France, Morocco, Algeria, Gabon
and Cote d'Ivoire for airlines and other
areas of tourism. My immediate goal is
to build the Africa Travel Library, which
includes: a) Five Regional
Africa Destination Guides. b) World Editions
for specific destinations ( i.e.
Ethiopia) available in print) c) Air Highways
to Africa - Continuing update to a
much needed resource for transportation
connections to, from and within
Africa. d) Venues -
Guide to Festivals, Travel Shows,
etc. e) Other
topics - African food and dining,
fashion, lifestyle, music and art,
humanitarian causes. MY CURRENT AND
FUTURE ITINERARY While in Africa:
Essaouira, Morocco Have visited more of
Morocco than any other African
country. Close family friends
and living facilities available year
round. Good relations and
transportation to much of Francophone
Africa and to Europe by land and or
air. Possible low cost
source for printing and
distribution. While in North
America: Seattle,
Washington Seattle has been my
U.S. Mailing address with friends in
recent years. Have dual
citizenship - USA and Canada. Family connections
for generations, father's
birthplace. .Plan to rent a home
in Seattle area for longer
stays. Close to my previous
base of Vancouver, BC, Canada, where I
have many contacts. Headquarters of the
Boeing Aircraft Company and
Microsoft. Headquarters of
ATTA, Adventure Travel Trade
Association. Excellent and
inexpensive sources for printing and
shipping of magazines. Convenient to trade
shows in Las Vegas, California, Oregon and
Western Canada. While in Europe:
Paris, France Close friends and
living facilities available. Access to major
travel industry events. Strong ties with the
French speaking African
Diaspora. Great media contacts
and information sources. |
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