The Akwaaba Africa Travel Market will kick-off today at the convention centre of the Eko Hotel and Suites with the Africa Travel Award among other activities. The three-day expo which held its first edition nine years ago will be honoring deserving individuals and organisations in the travel Industry in Africa. Among them is Captain Irene Koki Mutungi who will be honoured by Women in Aviation (Nigeria) International-Glowing Wings Chapter in partnership with Akwaaba.
Mutungi is the first Woman in the World to captain the World’s newest Plane -the Boeing B787 Dreamliner - and will yet again receive recognition for her pioneering role in Africa’s Aviation Industry. She was recognized at AKWAABA in 2009 as the first African Lady Captain of a Commercial Airliner.
Categories to be recognised with awards include Best Hotel in West Africa, Best Airline in West Africa, African Airline of the Year, Best Short Haul Airline (Africa) and more.
Exhibitions start today at 3pm and will be declared open by Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs Akon Eyakenyi. Special guests include Engr. Benjamin Adeliyeka, Acting Director General NCAA .
Popular Nigerian musician, Bez, as well as Ugandan comedian Daniel Omara will entertain guests.
Exhibitions, business networking and meetings at the various country and company stands continue tomorrow with a live broadcast from the South Africa stand. ABTA Business Travel Workshop will hold at the Mezzanine with the opening and welcome by Monique Swart, founder African Business Travel Association. There will be a panel discussion on The Changing Corporate Travel Landscape in Nigeria.
Tuesday will be Hospitality Day at Akwaaba and Chief Sonny Odogwu (MFR), the Chairman of Grand Hotel Asaba will be giving the keynote speech. There will also be various panesl to discuss the issues as presented.
The panelist
With Nigeria being accepted globally as one of the biggest wine markets in the world, Akwaaba dedicate Hospitality Day to wine tasting.
Virgin Atlantic Airline, a leading European carrier known for its core values of fun and innovation will be coming back to exhibit at AKWAABA after a nine-year absence.
The award winning airline has been launching new in-flight services and opening new lounges globally and will be showcasing along with other players in the industry.
Akwaaba is expected to draw bigwigs of the travel and hospitality from Nigeria, Africa and beyond. Important personalities who have the event in the past include former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Secretary General of Commonwealth, former Sir Emeka Anyaoku, former Vice President of Nigeria, Chief Alex Ekwueme and former Executive secretary of Africa Travel Association, Eddie Bergman among others.
This year’s exhibition expects a large turnout despite the negative impact perceptions over the Ebola virus has wrought on the African travel industry.
Culled from: http://www.thisdaylive.com
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