ATA to hold 6th Annual U.S.– Africa tourism seminar in Washington, D.C.

NEW YORK, USA – The Africa Travel Association (ATA) will hold its sixth annual U.S.-Africa Tourism Seminar in Washington D.C. on Friday, March 8. Co-sponsored once again by the Travel & Adventure Show and organized in cooperation with the African Union Mission to the USA, the international event brings tourism professionals from around the world and diplomatic representatives from Africa together to learn about Africa’s latest growth trends, tourism projections and marketing tools for selling travel to Destination Africa.

Confirmed participants at the 2013 event include the Ministries of Tourism of Cameroon and Zimbabwe, as well as diplomatic representatives from the African Union Mission to the USA and Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. Senior representatives from the following organizations have confirmed participation: Affluent Hospitality, Afrique Expansion, Afropop, APG USA, Arik Air, Delta Airlines, EPIC Global Media, Ethiopian Airlines, The Bradford Group, National Tour Association (NTA), Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs at the Department of the Interior, Office of Travel & Tourism Industries at the US Department of Commerce, Thinking Forward Media, South African Airways, Wildlife Conservation Society, and the Washington DC, Travel & Adventure Show.

Under the banner of “Marketing Destination Africa 2020,” the seminar’s one-day program is designed with educational workshops that present a range of opportunities for travel industry buyers and sellers to grow their knowledge and expertise on all things Africa. Sessions will focus on marketing and promoting destinations and attractions, leveraging social media to grow companies and destinations and airline growth. Delegates will also receive the most recent updates on outbound US travel to Africa.

With a growing number of business travelers flying to Africa, high-end hotels being built across the continent, and a growing middle class, business and leisure arrivals to and investments in Africa are expected to continue to increase steadily over the next decade. To highlight these developments, the seminar includes updates on Africa product development.

The 2013 event will kick off with an evening reception on Thursday, March 7 spotlighting Cameroon as a site for tourism arrivals and investment from the United States. Co-hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure of Cameroon, the networking event for the travel industry will highlight the upcoming ATA World Congress, to be held in Cameroon in May 2013 and share updates on the program.

ATA welcomes two returning event sponsors: South African Tourism (SAT) and the Travel and Adventure Show.

Source: traveldailynews.com