Accra Weizo: Platform for regional integration

On July 3, 2015, notable stakeholders in travel and tourism industry across the West African region met in Accra, the peaceful Ghanaian capital city, to deliberate on how to move the region forward for mutual development along all frontiers, especially travel and tourism.

Like visionary leaders in the West African region who gathered to form the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the 1970s, the tourism stakeholders had common goals in mind; fostering seamless travels within the region, encouraging regional trade and tourism exchanges, free movement among others.

That remarkable event in Accra gave birth to the first edition of Accra Weizo, a one-day travel event organized by Akwaaba African Travel Market; the only international travel fair in West Africa recognised by UNWTO.

Once again, Accra Weizo is calling and will be gathering travel and tourism stakeholders in West Africa on July 15, 2016 at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra on a one-day event packed with travel seminar, awards, and exhibition.

The event will take an in-depth look at ways to improve Travel and Tourism growth in West Africa through easy access to towns and cities in West Africa. Improving and simplifying airport and border processes; standardizing hotel and facilities for tourism through shared vision.

In line with the maiden edition’s theme, the 2016 Accra Weizo holds on the same theme:  ‘Seamless Travel in West Africa’.  The repeat is to reemphasize the quest for seamless integration within the West African region, which so far, is lacking.

The lack of seamless travel within the region (which the event hopes to address), is baffling going by the fact that despite ECOWAS’ almost 300 million people spread across 15 countries, the region has not been able to sustain a viable integration. Yet, with its over 40 airports the economy of the region can sustain a viable travel and tourism industry, but the reverse seems the case.

The event, organized by Akwaaba African Travel Market with the support of Ghana Ministry of Tourism Culture and Creative Arts, will host a discussion session on West Africa as a Single Destination.

Discussants at the session include; Onug Nkereuwem, president, Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), Bankole Bernard, president, National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA), and heads of the Tourism Associations from Benin and Togo. It will be moderated by a leading Ghanaian Journalist.

As usual, the event will feature an Aviation Session with Henock Teferra, managing director, ASKY Airlines, as the guest speaker. He will be speaking on the topic “The Challenges of Running a Successful Regional Airline in West Africa”. ASKY Airlines is a pan-African airline, based in Lome, Togo.

The Tourism Session will be on “The Prospect of West Africa as a Single Tourism Destination” with case studies such as “SAT Experience in West Africa” by Hloni Pitso, regional manager, South Africa Tourism in West Africa.

Other speakers at this year’s event are: Captain Fola Akinkuotu, chief executive officer, Aero Contractors Limited, and Chike Ogeah, vice chairman, SAHCOL.

Captain Akinkuotu, also former Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), a pilot, flight and aircraft engineer, has vast experience in the aviation industry. He will head the team of panelists including top aviation experts and government functionaries as they discuss and deal with issues on this year’s theme: “Seamless Travel in West-Africa”.

Chike Ogeah served as managing director and chief executive officer, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited. Ogeah is currently the vice chairman, Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited. He will be speaking on ‘Integrating Airport Operations in West Africa.

Speaking on the rationale for hosting the event, Ikechi Uko, CEO, Akwaaba Africa Travel Market , the organisers of the event, said Accra Weizo is a one-day travel seminar, awards, and exhibition  with the objective of  improving Travel and Tourism growth in West Africa through easy access to towns and cities in West Africa.

One highlight of the event, according to Uko, is The West Africa Award (Balafon), which holds at 5pm that day with award categories to include: West Africa Tourism Man of the Year, West Africa Aviation Man of the Year, West African Personality of the Year, and Top 50 Hotels in West Africa.

La Palm Royal Beach, host of the event, will also host the Carnivore night by 7pm, where the West African delegates will eat meat from all nations, dance and party till dawn. The target audience is travel professionals in West Africa as over 150 of them are expected and will take part in tours to Cape Coast on July 14 and 16, 2016.

In 2015, the maiden edition attracted some globally rated experts like Adefunke Adeyemi, regional head, IATA for Africa and Middle East. She spoke on Intra Africa Air Connectivity, the facts, Challenges and Benefits.  Frank Nneji, managing director, ABC Transport Ltd, Kwabena Adjei, founder, Kasapreko Company Ltd, Femi Adefope, head, HRG & GSA Delta Airlines in Nigeria, all spoke at Accra Weizo 2015.

Accra Weizo is hosted by La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, supported by Ethiopian Airlines and Accra City Hotel.

OBINNA EMELIKE