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The South Africa congress in May 2001 led to
the formation of three thriving ATA Chapters.
The five keys to future success are: ATA's
Continuing High Profile; World Class Events;
Financial Focus; Multi-Lingual Capacity; ATA
Chapters Business to Business Network. 1: HIGH PROFILE Just how high profile has ATA become? Find
out in 30 seconds. Open Google, America's
favorite search engine, and enter two words,
"Africa" and "Travel. " Matched against
governments and corporations with unlimited
resources and high paid gurus, you'd hardly
expect ATA to register a blip, right? Wrong! ATA
web pages appear at or near the top of the
search list consistently. With over 50 thousand
page views weekly, average visitor session
length from 11 to 15 minutes, and 26 thousand
hits daily, the results speak volumes. Why such
on-line popularity? The answer is simple -
"positive content, over 1,000 pages of it. North
Americans, who form most of our readers and
viewers are hungry for current, upbeat news
about Africa, as opposed to the distorted images
projected by the mass media. What they see on
the ATA site is proof that our approach is on
target. We know that our founder, Murray
Vidockler (photo- right) and Fred Fuller (to his
left), both of whom passed away in recent years,
would be justly proud. How does ATA's high profile benefit Travel
Agents? Being a full-fledged association with solid
connections and a successful track record allows
Executive Director Mira Berman of New York and
the Board of Directors, led by its President,
Hon. Zakia Hamdani Meghji MP Minister of Natural
Resources and Tourism, United Republic of
Tanzania, and Dr. Gaynelle Henderson-Bailey of
Henderson Tours, 1st Vice President, to offer a
diverse menu. The benefits of their new program
include: • Fatter Paychecks: Discovering new ways
to profit from higher commissions of long-haul
travel and longer stays. • Attending Africa-Oriented Seminars,
targeting special interest markets. • Focused Networking: Developing Top 100
circle of contacts. • Industry Alliances. Getting to know
tourist boards, hoteliers, airline officials and
ground operators. • Real Life Experiences: Seeing more of
Africa's culture and customs first hand. • Education and Training: Learning about
Africa's destinations and tourism products. • Marketing Savvy: Targeting specialized
markets, such as African Americans, seniors,
corporate, educational and adventure travel. • Social Networking: Attending
congresses and symposia in Africa and worldwide.
Broaden your horizons at chapter functions. WORLD CLASS EVENTS A popular link on ATA's website is "ATA
EVENTS," where the Association is winning its
high profile. Having powerful decision-makers at
the helm is a prime reason. Did you know that
the Africa Travel Association's Board of
Directors includes no less than eight (8)
African Tourism Ministers? The current President
is Hon. Zakia Hamdani Meghji, Tanzania's
Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism. ATA's
Events Calendar reads like a CNN World News
Report: E v e n t s ,,C
a l e n d a r ZAMBIA, SOUTHERN AFRICA. In May 2003, the
Republic of Zambia hosts the ATA 28th Annual
International Marketing Congress. It is ATA's
first ever two venue Congress, hosted by Lusaka,
the capital, and Livingstone at Victoria Falls.
Five flagship airlines involved in the event are
South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines,
British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and SN Brussels
Airlines. Along with American Express and the
host country, airlines have been key supporters
at ATA events. ATA members can register for all
events on-line. TANZANIA, EAST AFRICA. In December 2003, the
Second IIPT Africa Peace Through Tourism
Conference will be held in Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania. ATA as a founding coalition partner
will co-host the program. Last year was
designated as the International Year of
Ecotourism, and ATA was in the forefront with
major events in that important category. MPUMALANGA, SOUTH AFRICA: Success of the 1st
IIPT Africa Peace Through Tourism Conference in
partnership with ATA and the Mpumalanga Tourism
Authority, in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, South
Africa, set the stage for this year's event in
Tanzania. GUINEA, WEST AFRICA. A well-attended 27th
International Congress in Conakry, Guinea
launched that West African country into the
mainstream of tourism. ATA Board member Sharifa
Burnett of Alken Tours was instrumental in
facilitating air transportation on Continental
Airlines to connect with SN Brussels Airline.
They and Royal Air Maroc provided special rates.
Following the congress, ATA Editor Muguette
Goufrani toured Guinea, and her story is
available to world media via the web site. ATLANTIC CITY, NJ, USA. A glowing opportunity
arose last year when the Corporate Council on
Africa (CCA) staged its 1st Travel, Tourism and
Gaming Conference and Trade Show in Atlantic
City. As a key sponsor, ATA was involved in
bringing Africans together with top
decision-makers. ATA and Ethiopian Airlines
co-sponsored a Marketing Panel on opening day,
which featured Executive Director Mira Berman as
moderator and Dr. Gaynelle Henderson-Bailey,
Henderson Tours, ATA 1st VP, H.E. Daudi
Ngelautwa Mwakawago, Tanzania's Ambassador to
the UN, Tewolde Mariam , Regional Director,
North America of Ethiopian Airlines, and Sunit
Sanghrajka, Big Five Tours and Expeditions. MOROCCO, NORTH AFRICA: As a grande finale,
ATA held its 7th Cultural and Ecotourism
Symposium in Fes, Morocco last December. One of
the best attended functions from the USA market
its success was due to attractive air fares by
Royal Air Maroc, combined with strong support by
Mr. Abdelhamid Boudemiene, Director for the
Americas of the Morocco National Tourist Office
and Benachir Akli, President of Olive Branch
Tours, and ATA's Casablanca Chapter. Keynote
speaker James MacGregor, stated in summary,"
this event proves that Ecotourism is no longer a
fringe market." GENEVA, SWITZERLAND: ATA's involvement with
Peace Through Tourism (IIPT) as a founding
coalition partner brought the association to
Europe in February 2003 as a co-host. The Hon.
Zakia Hamdani Meghji, President, represented ATA
as a keynote speaker. This Second Global Summit
of IIPT was held at the same site as the famous
Reagan-Gorbachev Summit that led to the end of
the cold war. 3. ATA's ECONOMIC FOCUS When Zambia's Tourism Marketing team visited
four U.S. cities this February to promote the
May 2003 Congress, ATA arranged key meetings
with the IMF International Monetary fund and The
World Bank. These kind of contacts are one of
the benefits for ATA member countries in getting
assistance for tourism development. CAMEROON, CENTRAL AFRICA: The theme of ATA's
last event in Cameroon in 2001 was "Ecotourism,
Culture and Investment," echoing a desire to put
business and income generation for African
countries high on the agenda. Statistics by
Webtrends for March 2003 show that "The Cameroon
Story" is the most read page on ATA's 920-page
web site. Cameroon's profile in the North
American travel industry is being greatly
enhanced by its involvement with ATA. TANZANIA, EAST AFRICA: On the business front,
Tanzanian President William Mkapa and Tourism
Minister and ATA President Hon. Zakia Meghji,
were keynote speakers at the First Tanzania
Tourism Investment Conference in Arusha. The
event was organized by the Multilateral
Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), a World Bank
Group. Giving a hand to its African members by
attracting capital for tourism infrastructure
and promoting business partnerships is another
area where ATA shines. BERMUDA, THE CARIBBEAN: ATA's outreach to the
Caribbean and the African Diaspora Heritage
Trail - a further stimulus for trade routes,
tourism infrastructure and investment. The
program was launched at ATA's 26th International
Congress in Cape Town, South Africa by Bermuda's
President, Hon. Jennifer Smith and its Tourism
Minister, the late Hon. David Allen. 4. ATA'S MULTI-LINGUAL CAPACITY How does ATA reach out to over 22 French
speaking African Countries, French Canada,
Europe and the Francophone Community? While ATA
has staged highly successful events in Africa's
French speaking countries with regularity, in
2002 the association went a step further in
2002. It targeted a vast new readership by
publishing its official magazine in both French
and English. In time, management expects that
the web site will also offer this option to a
greater extent, and efforts are currently
underway. An important blueprint has been set
for the future. At the same time, the foundation
of a permanent ATA chapter in French Canada was
laid for participation at the 15th Salon
International de Voyage in Montréal.
Since one third of all Canadians speak French,
as do many Africans, the publication's bilingual
move was a natural. Watch for separate French
language supplements of issues such as our 2003
Congress Edition (above). 5. ATA CHAPTERS "B to B" NETWORK ATA CHAPTER MARKETING SEMINARS: Paramount in
each ATA event is the "Chapter Presidents'
Marketing Panel," the most recent being chaired
by ATA New York Chapter President Marlene
Melton. Representing U.S. Chapters are Wendy
Johnson, Washington, DC; Council Irwin, Detroit;
James Brock, Atlanta; Michael Madison, Los
Angeles; Hemie Gibson, Tennessee, and Chester
Spears, Chicago. African chapter leaders, such
as Rube Khan, Western Cape, South Africa;
Françoise Kamene Lele, Cameroon; Joe
Nyarko, Ghana; Abimbola Bode-Thomas, Nigeria;
Peter Muiruri, Kenya; Theo Abediaye, Benin;
Enzio Ross, Zambia and Therese Haury, Cote
d'Ivoire provide a lively exchange. This "hands
across the ocean" leads the way to joint tours,
road shows, regional representation and
partnerships. While ATA has been moving mountains in terms
of events, alliances and activities, one of the
biggest, most expensive hurdles ATA faces is
getting the word out. The Internet has been an
enormous help, and thanks to its communications
tools, a network is being formed to distribute
ATA's official magazine. To enhance these
efforts. A CHAPTER EXCHANGEsection has been
added to the site, so that the African and North
American chapters can have a free 24 flow of
business to business contact. ATA Chapters are the backbone of its program,
with strategic locations in New York, Chicago,
Washington, DC, Atlanta, Tennessee, Detroit, Los
Angeles and Vancouver. African Chapters are in
South Africa (Gauteng and Western Cape), Morocco
(Casablanca and Fez), Benin, Cameroon, Cote
d'Ivoire, Guinea, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Nigeria, Tanzania and Zambia These chapters with
their African and Canadian About the ATA The Africa Travel Association is an
international, nonprofit, nonpolitical,
professional travel industry association, whose
objective is to promote tourism to Africa. Its
membership is comprised of National Government
Tourist Offices, hotels, airlines, ground and
tours operators, travel agents, group tour
leaders, marketing and media executives. ATA has
chapters throughout Africa and North America; is
a member of ASTA (American Society of Travel
Agents of Travel Agents), WTO (World Tourism
Organization), an industry partner with ARTA
(Association of Retail Travel Agents), a
founding member of IIPT's Coalition of Partners
for Peace Through Tourism; and a "Green Globe"
member. ATA organizes ATA, The Africa Travel Association is
... - A member of WTO, World Tourism
Organization - A member of ASTA, American Society of
Travel Agents - A member of USTOA, United States Tour
Operators Association - An industry partner in Green Globe - A founding member of IIPT Coalition of
Partners, International Institute for Peace Through Tourism - A member of TIES, the International
Ecotourism Society - A founding member of RETOSA, Regional
Tourism Organization of Southern Africa - A partner of ARTA, Association of Retail
Travel Agents - A partner of SATH, Society for Accessible
Travel and Hospitality - A partner with Bermuda and the CTO,
Caribbean Tourism Organization in the African Diaspora Heritage
Trail project for Cross Border Tourism Initiatives. |
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