Africa's
Future is in the
Air
By
Mira Berman
(condensed from the
original)
ATA,
which represents the hopes,
desires, plans and
potential of Africa's
travel - tourism industry
was born in 1975 and raised
under the most trying
political, social and
financial conditions.
Today's ATA continues to
seek new markets, win new
friends and open new doors.
So much has happened in the
past decades, it's hard to
fathom - but in Africa,
recent years have signaled
remarkable changes. Ranking
high are new direct routes
and realistic fares from
New York and other U.S.
gateways.
In
evaluating Africa's
transportation scene, ATA
members can be considered
among the most astute
judges of all. Since our
launch in 1976 at a
Congress in Nairobi, Kenya,
ATA members have flown on
every airline serving the
continent and its offshore
islands, and have boarded
regional carriers that
crisscross, this vast
expanse of geography,
linking dozens of emerging
cities and towns. Some have
gone by train, or enjoyed
waterborne adventures along
the coastline of two
oceans, the majestic
Mediterranean, or on
Africa's historic canals,
lakes and
rivers.
Those
on our ATA Board of
Directors have been in the
thick of the action, some
having been instrumental in
generating positive change
in their own countries. Who
are these people? African
Tourism Ministers and
international airline
executives, to whom safe
skies, better gateway
access, improved airports
and roads are their
lifeblood. On the same
slate, you'll find
executives of international
hotel chains, African and
North American tour
operators, travel agency
owners and seasoned
professionals, each with a
stake in Africa's future
via tourism, and the trade
benefits it
creates.
People
in the airline industry are
dependent upon maps of
every type and description.
Not only do pilots and
ground crews rely on
detailed maps of routes,
geography and terrain, they
need accurate maps of upper
air currents, cloud cover
and meteorological
phenomena. Likewise when
planning long-haul travel
to African destinations
from the USA or Canada;
when staging congresses and
events, or preparing
complex tour itineraries,
members of ATA need to
create their own business
guidelines. Here is our
simple watchword ...
MAPS:
M
... for Marketing and
Merchandising
A ... for Airlines and
Airports
P ... for Pricing and
Packaging
S ... for Safety and
Security
Marketing
as a Key Factor
Aside from education, ATA's
specialty for twenty-seven
years has been "event"
marketing - moving great
numbers of people from
point (a) America, to point
(b) Africa. As we gain
experience, add momentum
and become more expert at
it, our Marketing Map has
led to spin-offs in at
least six
areas:
Ecotourism
Market: Ecotourism is a
relative newcomer to the
marketing scene, having
come into its own in recent
years, sparking a boom in
related fields of
Educational, Cultural,
Archeological, Agricultural
and Adventure Travel. No
more sun, sand and surf for
the masses. ATA was among
the first to recognize
these drastic changes and
their special application
to Africa. Let's face it,
if God ever created a
continent that was
ready-made for Ecotourism
and Adventure Travel --
this is it. Seizing the
moment, ATA staged its
first Ecotourism Symposium
in 1992, with Dakar,
Senegal as the venue. Our
most recent event in
Yaounde, Cameroon happened
less than two months after
the Sept 11 disaster, yet
we had a successful turnout
in that great central
African country. This
December, we celebrate
ATA's Sixth Ecotourism
Symposium in Morocco. And
on the "Road to Morocco,"
ATA will be front and
center at several key
events marking the
International Year of
Ecotourism. We've already
participated at events in
Vancouver and Nelspruit,
Mpumalanga. On the ATA
agenda are our 27th
Congress in Conakry,
Guinea; Indaba at Durban;
the African Diaspora
Conference in Bermuda, the
World Ecotourism Summit in
Quebec and the Johannesburg
Earth Summit. Each is an
opportunity to market the
Best of Africa through
ATA.
African
American Market: African
Americans have been flying
to Africa in droves thanks
to ATA - and what a huge
potential market that
represents. Statistics show
that African Americans are
more active, affluent and
influential in our society
than ever before, and it's
a continuous, upward
spiral. On ATA's doorstep
is an immense market of
over 30 million consumers,
spelling opportunity for
agencies, operators and
airlines alike. What's
more, ATA has become the
dominant force in the
African American travel
trade, as you will see
should you attend any of
our events.
Caribbean
- African Diaspora Market:
We expect some solid
results from the recent Pan
African-Caribbean
Conference on Air
Transportation 2002, in
Atlanta. Presented in
cooperation with the U.S
Department of
Transportation it included
Government Ministers and
Officials, National and
International Airlines,
Airport Authorities,
Regulatory Organizations,
Airport Management
Companies, Service
Providers and Suppliers,
Financial and Legal
Consultants (to Airlines
and Airports), Travel
Agents, Tour Operators, Air
Cargo, Freight Forwarders
and Shippers. Its goal? To
increase air carrier
service to and between Pan
African nations - primarily
Africa and the Caribbean,
serving as a catalyst for
trade development via the
air transportation
industry.
This
year marks another proud
ATA milestone. The Slave
Route from Africa westward
touched many shores, and
finally these historical
links are becoming part of
the marketing scene. This
May's African Diaspora
Heritage Trail Conference
in Bermuda and a special
Airline Industry Conference
are two shining examples.
Taking
a lead from Bermuda's
President Jennifer Smith,
ATA is interacting with the
Caribbean Tourism
Organization, Air Carriers
and Tourism Offices,
opening up new routes, and
tour packaging
opportunities. This cross
border tourism initiative
will build long-term
relationships between
Bermuda, the Caribbean, the
African nations and North
America. The African
Diaspora Heritage Trail is
a unified cross-border,
cultural tourism initiative
designed to educate
visitors, enhance the
economic viability of
African Diaspora countries
and conserve the essence of
African descent culture and
history. This will spark
numerous opportunities for
shared projects and
promotions, such as
island-hopping tours from
the USA to Africa via the
Caribbean. The
opportunities are endless.
What a winning
combination.
Business
and Investment Travel:
"Where tourism goes,
commerce flows .." is a
line that's music to our
ears. Every trip to Africa
sheds new light on the
unlimited number of
business opportunities and
potential partnerships
spring up like fresh buds
in the forest. We do our
best to facilitate these
unions of ideas and
capital. We've launched a
magazine and 500-page web
site to help encourage
facilitate this marriage
between Africans and the
world
beyond.
Seniors
Market: Last year, our
Congress in Cape Town was
shared with a large
contingent from SATH, who
are among the most upbeat
delegates I have ever had
the pleasure of serving.
This worthy organization,
whose mandate is accessible
travel and hospitality
services for the
handicapped and seniors -
represents an enormous
market in the USA and
around the world. They have
the power to elect,
influence and bring down
governments, and their
clout in the travel
industry has leapt forward
considerably since we
started the movement
shortly after the birth of
ATA.
One
is never to old to discover
Africa ... and in our
opinion, not only do most
Africans respect and revere
people of advanced age for
their wisdom and guidance,
but Africa becomes a
"state-of-mind, " a place
where one can feel forever
young. The Africa
experience is like a tonic
to many of us, our personal
Fountain of Youth. Ask 92
year-old Elyse Whyte of
Harlem, who has attended
every ATA international
congress since
1976.
The
Asian Market: ATA's
Canadian chapter in
Vancouver has been
exploring travel and tours
to Africa via the Asia
Pacific route, involving
North American and Asian
carriers, such a Cathay
Pacific, Malaysian Air and
others. They see a real
opportunity for stopover
tours in exotic Pacific and
Asian gateways, plus
business events and trade
missions to and from
Africa.
It
goes without saying that
the Asian Market brings
much needed investment and
a potential visitor
bonanza, that ATA is well
aware of the opportunities.
Asia and Asia Pacific is on
our marketing map. Signals
are already apparent from
our web site, which is
generating thousands of
hits daily from around the
world. Thanks to research
by Webtrends we can track
the origin of these
contacts and Asia ranks
high.
Airlines
as Engines of Prosperity:
In a later article, we will
provide a "State-of-the
-Industry" report
concerning Airlines serving
the continent of Africa and
its offshore islands. At
one time or another, we've
dealt with all of them, and
are sad to see the demise
of several old friends who
served the industry so
well. However, like a
Phoenix, new alliances and
operations arise to take
their place, like SN
Brussels which is launching
flights from the USA as we
speak. Our own tour
operator members are
accurate barometers of the
situation. According to ATA
Treasurer Sharifa Burnett,
owner of Alken Tours of New
York, "Not only did the
September 11th disaster
seriously affect travel to
Africa, the demise of Air
Afrique dealt a serious
blow to West Africa trade,
which was flourishing
thanks to a solid marketing
program targeting African
Americans. Price specials
for Black History Month,
the Slave Route and other
seasonal promotions
attracted leading
educators, university
students and others keenly
interested in African
culture and heritage.
Governments
must act: The big
attraction was the
opportunity to schedule
tours via Dakar, Senegal,
to a variety of gateways
such as Abidjan, Bamako,
Cotonou, Lome and others."
Sharifa Burnett mentioned
that several new kids on
the block are starting to
fill the gap with charter
flights. Afrinet of the USA
now flies to several West
African gateways; Amana Air
Travel, has return flights
from New York via South
America to West Africa for
around $1,000. When asked
what should happen, Sharifa
Burnett suggested a meeting
of all West African
government ministers and
leaders is imminent. Its
purpose? -- to seek
solutions not only to the
air transportation dilemma,
but also to ease ground
restrictions, allowing
motor coach tours to pass
more freely across national
borders. ATA is an ideal
catalyst to facilitate such
a conference &endash; just
as we are doing this year
to spur interest in travel
to Africa via the Caribbean
and the African Diaspora
Heritage Trail.
In
its state-of-the-art
report, ATA will seek and
present the latest news and
views from South Africa
Airways, Ethiopian
Airlines, Royal Air Maroc,
the National airlines of
Kenya, Ghana, Gabon,
Nigeria, Seychelles,
Mauritius, Namibia, Guinea,
Tanzania and others, plus
numerous small regional
carriers.
Airports
as Hubs of Commerce: The
new developments at many of
Africa's Airports - Bole
International in Addis
Ababa, Kruger Mpumalanga
International in South
Africa, Kilimanjaro
International in Tanzania,
and many others from Cairo
to the Cape, makes us
proud. Yet, do airports
rate enough attention
overall?
"A
question that begs to be
asked, is this; " says
aviation journalist Ed
Anderson, " Do business
communities and the
population at large,
recognize and appreciate
the significance of
airports? Furthermore, is
there an acceptance of
their importance and
positive impact on the
daily lives of people,
combined with the
contributions those
airports make to existing
business connections and
the generation of new
business opportunities? One
would like to think so.
But, on the other hand,
continuing negatives spun
by questionable media
coverage, brought on,
sometimes, by well intended
but misguided "NIMBY's"
(not in my back yard) and
political types invariably
affect the positives which
the network of land based
airports and water based
facilities can indeed
generate. The potentials
for employment and
prosperity are tremendous
and we all should be open
to the rewards and benefits
of progress initiated by
airports." So, if you have
to pay an airport tax - you
know it's being put to a
good purpose, one of which
is increased
security.
Packaging
and Pricing: Packaging is
where connections and
creativity come to the
fore. As I mentioned, ATA
is active in "event
"marketing and that means
developing skills at astute
packaging of hotels,
airfares, transportation
and sundry other items. Our
association and member tour
operators have enjoyed a
number of bargains packages
in the past, targeting
Black History Month, and a
variety of pre and post
congress and symposia tours
to countries adjacent to
that of the event
host.
In
planning an event, we are
able to arrange travel and
tour packages with an ever
growing list of air
carriers, which are
selected for a variety of
reasons, mainly geographic.
Since most ATA members are
either travel agents or
tour operators with agendas
of their own and a wide
following of clients from
the USA and various parts
of Africa, no one airline
will cover all their needs.
A main reason is that they
book side trips, study
tours, pre and post event
activities, etc. built
around the congress date.
This year at least 3 key
events in Africa, Canada
and the Caribbean occur in
the weeks following our
congress - and each
involves different
airlines.
Safety
and Security: I mentioned
that many of us flew to
Cameroon in Central Africa
shortly after September
11th and not only did we
enjoy a great flight on
Cameroon Airlines from
Paris, but felt secure the
entire time, with some of
our members staying up to a
month in the country. Our
ATA website has links to
reliable safety sources,
including the World Tourism
Organization, so our
members do not have to rely
on a very biased,
opinionated mass
media.
That
brings us to - Peace
through Tourism - the
long-range answer - to the
world's biggest problem,
and again one where ATA has
taken the lead. We just
concluded Africa's first
IIPT Peace through Tourism
Conference, where I planted
a seedling at God's Window,
one of the world's first
Peace Forest near Kruger
Park. ATA President, Hon.
Zakia Hamdani Meghji,
Minister of Tourism for The
United Republic of
Tanzania, is proud of the
work our association is
doing, summing it up as
follows:
"
Without peace there can be
no tourism. Recognizing
this, the Africa Travel
Association (ATA) has been
in the forefront as a
founding member of the IIPT
COALITION OF PARTNERS and
has provided IIPT with a
showcase at its annual
congresses and ecotourism
symposia. Our participation
as an organizer of this
historic conference
demonstrates ATA's strong
commitment to fostering
peace through
community-based and
sustainable tourism on the
African
Continent."
So
with MAPS in hand, we at
ATA move ahead with
cautious optimism. However,
we don't march alone. The
force that's with us
includes powerful,
influential organizations
with which we share ideas,
and quite often, the
podium.
Strategic
Alliances include the
following:
• The Francophone
Community worldwide. Since
30 African countries are
French speaking, our
magazine and web site now
reflect this reality by
publishing stories and
items in both English and
French. As they say, "Vive
le
Difference."
•
ATA
is an associate member of
USTOA - United States Tour
Operators Association -
decision makers of the
highest
order.
•
ATA is an affiliate member
of WTO - the World Tourism
Organization with whom we
co-host
events.
•
ATA a member of GATTO -
Global Alliance of Travel
and Tourism
Organizations
•
ATA is an allied member of
ASTA - American Society of
Travel
Agents
•
ATA is an industry partner
of ARTA - Association of
Retail Travel
Agents
•
ATA is an industry partner
in Green
Globe
•
ATA is a founding member of
IIPT Coalition of Partners,
International Institute for
Peace through
Tourism
•
ATA is a member of TIES -
The International
Ecotourism
Society
•
ATA is a founding member of
RETOSA - Regional Tourism
Organization of Southern
Africa
•
ATA is a partner of SATH -
Society for Accessible
Travel and
Hospitality
As
a healthy 27 -year old
organization, we welcome
all of the challenge, with
a hope that at some period
in our lifetime, we can
without fear or prejudice,
invite our members and
their clients to visit all
53 countries on the African
continent and its
surrounding Islands.
Remember the watchword:
M-A-P-S. The force is with
us. It's with our partners
in tourism. May it be with
you as well.
FLASHBACK
Pan
African-Caribbean
Conference
Presented
in Cooperation with the
U.S Department of
Transportation
What:
Pan African-Caribbean
Conference based in
Atlanta
Why:
Purpose is "To increase air
carrier service to and
between Pan African nations
(Africa and the
Caribbean"
Benefit:
A sustained and successful
attempt to increase air
service to and between Pan
African nations will sere
as a catalyst for trade
development in those
region, benefiting not only
Africa and the Caribbean,
but their trading partners
and in particular, the air
transportation
industry
Where:
Westin Atlanta Airport,
Atlanta, GA
Read
about the
Caribbean
in our (allied) web
site
for
Air
Highways of the
World
Magazine.
