In a bid to promote and market West Africa to other regions in Africa and the rest of the world, Africa Travel Quarterly (ATQ), the organizer of Akwaaba Travel Market has pronounced its annual 4th Edition of Akwaaba Travel Market scheduled for 24-25th October 2008 in Lagos, Nigeria.

The theme of this forthcoming travel exhibition is titled “The 21st Century Hotel” as revealed to Tourisphere by Ikechi Uko, Chief Executive Officer of Akwaaba Travel Market on his visit to the Gambia for the just concluded 9th Edition of International Root Homecoming Festival in Banjul.

Akwaaba Travel Market is one of the West Africa expos that touch all the sectors of tourism. Since October 2005, travel and tour promoters have met in Lagos, Nigeria to do business in Africa’s biggest market with 250 million people; West Africa offers a big market and a big destination for both private and public organizations.

The admirable travel expo marketer, Ikechi Uko, who says he love traveling, has highlighted that “out of the five international events that have global recognition in West Africa, International Homecoming Root Festival is one of the best so far. These five big events are Visual Art Dakar-Senegal, Panafest for culture Accra- Ghana, Fespaco for movie in Ouagadougou-Burkina Faso, Akwaaba Travel Market Expo for tourism in Lagos-Nigeria with the biannual Root Festival for culture in Banjul-Gambia. So this Root Festival is one of the strongest among.”

Despite the fact that West Africa has the largest population in Africa, they are still very poor in area of tourism. Pan-Africa makes million of tourists. East Africa, last year, made their first ever million visitors and South Africa got 45% of its travel from regional market which include West Africa, while West African countries made half a million of international visitors.

According to Uko, West African countries have to response appropriately to trans-trade within Africa. The purpose of having one continental passport in Africa that will be similar to other western countries is important, the Ecowas passport is an example, this will encourage traveler to move freely within the continent and boost tourism in West Africa and other regions in Africa.  One of the best things is to put West Africa countries together as a product and market this product to the entire Africa and rest of the world.

The most popular welcome word in West Africa is akwaaba an Akan word. It is a general language speaks in two countries in the region, Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire. This expo derives its name from the language because of the mission and vision of the travel market.

Taken the area of tourism most visitors are interested in to consideration, Gambia is the success story in our region in term of tourism. “Gambia beach tourism like everywhere in Africa, according to UNDP two years ago shows that 60% of the tourist receives in Africa came on beach,” Uko noted. This shows that the most popular African product is not wild life it is the sea and beach.

This year 4th Akwaaba Travel Market expo, where Africa meets the world, is an open market for general participants. It is free with different programme. The first day is schedule to be the Hospitality Forum Day. It is a workshop for hotels, hotel owners and hotel promoters with hotel equipments exhibition. Topics under the theme “The 21st Century Hotels” connote costs and benefits of international hotel brands, hotel in house entertainment in the 21st century, current ICT needs of a modern hotel, Hotel classification and standards in West Africa: case studies Ghana, Nigeria, Gambia and Senegal, problem of running international hotels in West Africa and some other related topics.

Day two is set aside for Seminar to deliberate on impact of aviation on tourism and travel in Africa, the importance of technology in tourism and travel, the role of airports in the development of tourism and travel with the main event, Akwaaba exhibition  by airlines, hotels, resorts, destinations and others.  

The market expo will be rounded up with Africa Travel Awards Dinner with Boat cruise. Exhibitors include airlines, hotels, tourism boards, IT suppliers, tour operators, travel agents, car rentals, national parks, resort and more. Participants’ stands chances to win free air tickets, free weekend stay and other prizes at Akwaaba. For more information about on this market expo check www.africantravelquarterly.com