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Executive Director / CPL Events
CEO / EQ Hospitality
Regional Director for Africa / UNWTO
Senior Lecturer - Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship / University of Ghana Business School (UGBS)
Professor - Tourism and International Development and Academic Lead / University of Brighton
Program Partner / Mastercard Foundation
Senior Expert - Trade in Services / AfCFTA
CEO / Milllvest
Chief Convention Bureau Officer / South Africa Tourism
Destination Marketing Director / Rwanda Convention Bureau
Economic Affairs Officer / UNECA
Technology Transfer and Innovation / Durban University of Technology (DUT)
Director - Advisory Services / BDO South Africa
Director / ICCA Africa
District Director: East Africa | Complex General Manager / Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre - Kigali
Founder & CEO / AviaDev
Managing Director / Inkomoko
Founding Partner ESPartners
Founder & CEO / Rural Tourism Africa
Director / Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agency (STTA)
Founder Augmented Future
CEO / Africa Tourism Partners
Media Contact
Email: info@africatourismpartners.com
Rejoice Chishamba- Projects Co-ordinator
Email: rejoice@africatourismpartners.com
Executive Director / CPL Events
Linda Pereira is the senior partner and CEO of the L&I Communications Group. In additionto her long and respected career as one of the most influential voices in the Meeting Industry, she is also Executive Director of CPL Meetings & Events. Respected internationally as a speaker, consultant, strategic communication expert, writer and as an educator, she has been an invited speakerin over 149 countries on all continents.
She is an expert in communication and corporate diplomacy, and has a vast experience in cross-cultural communication strategies, localisation, and public speakingand as a master of ceremonies.
She has worked on the major events which marked the last 30 years of modern history, from World EXPOs, to Football and Sports Championships, various EU Presidencies and major political events. She is also an invited lecturer at five different international Universities where she lectures strategic meetings management and corporate diplomacy and protocol.
She is absolutely passionate about associations and sits on a variety of international association boards herself. Linda is also a consultant to a variety of international Governments and associations. She was considered one of Portugal’s five most influential people in the industry and has received various international education awards as well as the medal of honour for responsible entrepreneurship for her commitment to promoting culture and heritage and for Social Responsibility initiatives.
She has also been voted business woman of the year for three consecutive years. She sits on various Advisory Boards, and Education Committees and presides over three- She is also the Chair of the Association World Congress for 2022. She was president of the Global Council for Women in Leadership for two mandates. She is currently special advisor to the Minister for the Economy of Cape Verde and sits on the Advisory Council for the Leader Magazine and the Venues of Excellence Certification Board. She also sits on the Board of The Portugal-India and Portugal-Holland Chambers of Commerce. She presides the Crossroads platform focused on up-scaling and attracting investment for start-up businesses. She sits on the Portugal Chapter of Women In Tech, a Global Association. She is a business development consultant to the MICE business sector in Saudi Arabia, Croatia, Slovenia, Macau, Georgia, Ghana and Cape Verde.
She is currently a member of the Women’s Africa PCO Alliance. In 2021 she received the Lifetime Achievement Award for the MICE Industry. Linda has recently been elected one of the Global 100 women leaders.
She considers her two daughters as her greatest achievement.
Regional Director for Africa / UNWTO
Originally from the Seychelles, Elcia Grandcourt joined the World Tourism Organisation, a United Nations specialised Agency for Tourism in 2013 as Director, of the Regional Department for Africa. Elcia began her tourism career studying Hotel Management in Singapore at the Singapore Hotel Association and Education Centre (SHATEC). Thereafter, she occupied various positions in operations, reservations and sales mainly in hotels, including leading international brands such as Le Meridien and Hilton Worldwide Resorts. She was part of the rebranding team when Hilton Worldwide Resorts took over the management of the then Northolme hotel in Seychelles. She worked with the Seychelles national airline and destination management companies before joining the public sector to Seychelles Tourism Board as deputy CEO before being promoted to Chief Executive Officer, a position she occupied prior to joining UNWTO. Passionate about tourism, Elcia is honoured to be able to contribute towards sustainable tourism development in Africa.
Elcia also holds a Master in Dynamics of Cooperation, Conflicts and Negotiation in International Relations and Diplomacy.
Senior Lecturer - Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship / University of Ghana Business School (UGBS)
Senior Lecturer – Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship / University of Ghana Business School (UGBS)
Professor - Tourism and International Development and Academic Lead / University of Brighton
Professor Marina Novelli (PhD) is a globally renowned Tourism and International Development expert and Professor of Tourism and International Development at the University of Brighton (UK).
Her contribution to the study of tourism is associated with the empirically grounded studies on Tourism for Sustainable Development, the concept of Niche Tourism and most recently with elaboration of the Overtourism phenomenon. She distinguishes herself for her inclusive leadership practice and excellence in collaborating with multi-disciplinary, multi-stakeholders and multi-cultural teams making her a preferred research partner and a particularly active member of the global tourism community.
With a background in economics and a keen interest in international development, she has written and advised extensively in the field of international tourism policy, planning, development and management in Africa, Europe and Asia for institutions such as the World Bank, the EU, UNESCO, UNIDO, the UNWTO, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, National Ministries and Tourism Boards, Regional Development Agencies, private sector and NGOs.
Her global reputation is reflected in numerous external appointments, such as her nominations as Alternate Member of the UNWTO World Committee on Tourism Ethics (2021-2025) and her
work has demonstrated to have considerable impact on the sector with implications far beyond tourism, by contributing to more effective economic growth, improved environments and more inclusive societies. She is committed to generating new knowledge on ways in which tourism can play a key role in sustainable development by stimulating local economies, conserving the environment, developing people and changing lives.
CEO, Millvest Advisory, South Africa
Miller Mulamule Matola has more than 25 years of management experience within the global travel, tourism, hospitality, convention industry and investment facilitation environments.
His competencies range from executive management, business administration, project management, destination marketing, nation branding to strategic planning and execution. With demonstrated business management skills, at both operational and strategic levels,
Miller has managed several large non-profit and for – profit organisations during his management career; having been CEO of Tourism KwaZulu Natal, Durban ICC and Brand South Africa respectively. Uniquely, he possesses unprecedented knowledge and networks amongst global decision makers in the Tourism, Business Events, Trade, Investment and Development sectors, both in business and government. Miller has proven stakeholder relationship management skills, having worked at executive management level with various Business, Government and Civil society stakeholders globally.
At present, Miller is Founder and CEO of Millvest (Pty) Ltd, a South African advisory and project management company focusing on the tourism, hospitality, energy and convention industries. He is a non-executive director of the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and a member of the Premier’s Economic Growth Advisory Council and Tourism and Agriculture Work Group of the Limpopo Province.
Chief Convention Bureau Officer / South Africa Tourism
Ms Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo, Chief Convention Bureau Officer Ms Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo was appointed in November 2011 as the Chief Convention Bureau Officer of the South Africa National Convention Bureau (SANCB), a unit within South African Tourism. Ms Kotze-Nhlapo joined South African Tourism following a successful tenure at the Cape Town and Western Cape Convention Bureau where she held held the position of head of the Bureau for six years. Her appointment and the establishment of the National Convention Bureau have worked to strengthen South Africa’s capacity in support of business events efforts to secure bids for the meetings, incentive, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry. Amanda has more than 20 years’ experience in the industry.
UNECA
Dr Geoffrey Manyara is currently an Economic Affairs Officer in charge of tourism for United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, having previously worked as a Senior Regional Tourism Advisor for the organisation. Dr Manyara has also worked for a number of years as a tourism researcher at the University of Wales, Cardiff in the United Kingdom (UK), as a senior tourism lecturer and head of the tourism departments at both Kenyatta University and the Technical University in Kenya. Dr Manyara holds a PhD from the University of Wales in Cardiff and has been a research fellow at National Economic and Social Council in Kenya and a visiting research fellow at the Centre for International Tourism Research at the Sheffield Hallam University in the UK. Dr Manyara’s main professional interests are on tourism planning, policy formulation, management and sustainable development with special emphasis on Africa. Dr Manyara is currently working closely with a number of Member States in Africa, the African Union, Regional Economic Communities including the East African Community and Inter-Governmental Authority on Development.
Technology Transfer and Innovation / Durban University of Technology (DUT)
Prof. Keolebogile Motaung is a Full Professor, Biomedical Scientist and Director: Technology Transfer & Innovation at the Durban University of Technology with more than 23 years’ experience in Higher Education. She is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Global Health Biotech (Pty) Ltd. As a Professor, research scientist and entrepreneur, she trains her postgraduate students not just on how to do research, and become a scientist, but also on how to become entrepreneurs. By becoming entrepreneurs, they can create jobs for themselves after completing their studies at a time, when jobs are scarce, and unemployment is high.
Based on her own scientific exploration into the use of medicinal plants in tissue engineering of bone and cartilage, she founded a company called Global Health Biotech (PTY) Ltd in 2016. Global Health Biotech has developed a natural anti-inflammatory ointment named La-Africa Soother (LAS) from medicinal plants which helps relieve muscle and joint aches, thus offering athletes, sportsmen and women an alternative natural anti-inflammatory ointment. This is the first product of its kind aimed at preventative care, meaning it is applied ahead before and after physical activity to prevent anticipated muscle aches.
This product, packaged in a green and white tube, is already available on the market. Motaung has also licensed a technology from Stellenbosch University to develop a second product named pump protein shake (vegan friendly plant-based). The product simultaneously leads to decreased muscle inflammation which leads to accelerated regeneration and may be more effective as an anti-inflammatory agent than known non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) and with less side-effect. She is an award winner and has received a number of accolades from far and wide because she has thrown the gauntlet in bridging the gap between science and entrepreneurship.
Director - Advisory Services / BDO South Africa
Christelle has more than 23 years’ consulting experience and carries out and heads project teams for macro research, economic impact assessments, valuations, marketing and organisational strategies, market feasibility studies, financial viability assessments, business case assessments and transaction advisory assignments.
Christelle has also facilitated numerous workshops and large meetings and is proficient in using a range of facilitation approaches and tools.
Regional Director, Africa - International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), South Africa
Esmaré currently fulfils the role of Regional Director for Africa for the International Congress and Convention Association. Her key focus is to deliver ICCA services, products and events, for the recruitment and retention of members and for maintaining and enhancing ICCA’s reputation and awareness amongst target markets.
She has extensive experience in the international marketing and sales arena. Before joining ICCA, she managed the International Sales portfolio at the Cape Town International
Convention Centre (CTICC).
Prior to her joining the CTICC she worked at Arabella Starwood South Africa, promoting the 5* Westin Cape Town and the Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa. She was also part of the opening team that started the Cape Town Convention Bureau where she fulfilled the role of promoting Cape Town to the meetings, incentive, conference and exhibition industry with a focus on Association Marketing and Research.
Esmaré is currently a member of SAACI, the Southern African Association for the Conference Industry, and has served on the SAACI National Board as Venues Forum Chair as is currently a Board member of the SAACI Western Cape Chapter. She also served on the Board of the African Society of Association Executives. She has been awarded the SAACI Fellowship Award in 2017 as well as the Top 40 Women in MICE in both 2017 and 2015.
District Director: East Africa | Complex General Manager / Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre - Kigali
A dynamic and effective management executive, with over 20 years of experience and a portfolio of delivering excellence within the Hospitality Industry.
In a career of dedicated service delivery, coupled with the capacity to drive business growth, all the while managing multiple functions of premier, luxury, high- volume Hotels, Resorts and Spas, Rob Kucera has occupied the positions of leadership from the early days of his career.
Accountable for comprehensive business, financial & operational management, he exceeds his mandate to deliver profitability, to maintain and/or improve standards of operation in addition to maximizing the total customer experience. Exposure to a variety of team dynamics within different hospitality Industry environments, has facilitated his strength in management. Rob now offers dexterity both as a dynamic leader who has built successful teams, and as a proactive team member. He commits to mentoring employees and encourages ownership of areas of management, thus leveraging higher levels of service.
Testimony to such excellence is a portfolio of multiple awards. Notably, Rob led the Westin Cape Town team to achievement of international recognition within the Starwood Hotels & Resorts Group, receiving the Best Team Collaboration Award (2015). In 2004 he received the Protea Hotels General Manager of the Year Award at Protea Hotel President in Bantry Bay, Cape Town. On an industrial level, he held the position of Chief Operations Officer at the Hospitality Property Fund Ltd the only dedicated hotel REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) in South Africa and whose market value is approximated at R4.6 billion. Additionally, he played a key role in South African hospitality industry as Chairman of the FEDHASA Cape Board, the body responsible for monitoring the operations of over 700 companies in the Western Cape.
His educational background draws from esteemed institutions such as University of Witwatersrand, University of Johannesburg which accorded him a Citation with the status of Golden Circle Alumnus in recognition of his contribution to the growth and development of the South African Tourism & Hospitality Industry. He did his Advanced General Manager Course at Cornell University, USA and is also a certified NQ (National Vocational Qualification) Assessor. He also attended INSEAD Business School in Paris to complete a course called Managing Complexities.
Currently, Rob holds a regional function as the District Director EA & GM Radisson Blu Hotel & Convention Centre, Kigali, giving him an oversight role of existing properties (Radisson Blu hotel in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Radisson Blu Hotel Upper Hill, Park Inn by Radisson and the newest entrant Radisson Blu Residence in Arboretum, in Nairobi, Kenya, Park Inn by Radisson, Kigali) & future openings in East Africa. Prior to moving to Kigali-Rwanda, he was the General Manager of Radisson Blu Hotel Nairobi Upper Hill and the Bosphorus Hotel, Istanbul -Turkey.
Founder & CEO / Rural Tourism Africa
Jacqui Taylor often refers to the conduit needed to get a natural resource, oil, from the ground to the petrol tanks of cars. The analogy applies to Rural Tourism/Agritourism which is a facilitator of employment opportunities, an additional income generator to rural communities and a means to empower women and the youth where there are few opportunities to provide a sustainable life.
Jacqui Taylor is the Founder & Managing Director of Rural Tourism Africa; Agritourism Training and Agritourism Africa. Jacqui Taylor is a passionate communicator, marketer, and entrepreneur. She has over 30 years’ Communications and Marketing experience in the Agricultural and Tourism industries, both nationally and internationally.
She is passionate about Sustainable Rural Tourism, Agriculture, Conservation, Ecotourism, and Community Tourism. Jacqui has succeeded in developing Domestic and International Marketing Strategies for several Destinations. Her focus is currently on Sustainable Tourism, Ecotourism and Rural Tourism initiatives.
Jacqui is an Advisory Member on the IWA Marketing Committee (Vermont), a member of the South African Association of Agricultural Journalists, a member of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists and Advisor to EURAC.
Jacqui started her Rural Tourism business in Sept 2016 by creating an internet hub highlighting tourism farm experiences across Africa thereby allowing tourists (local and foreign to incorporate visits to farms as part of their travel plans. She is an advocate on numerous forums and an international speaker on Sustainable Tourism Development.
Director / Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agency (STTA)
Judy has a wealth of knowledge in sustainable travel and tourism across the African continent.
Judy is a sustainable tourism advocate, planner, adviser, assessor and trainer with over 20 years’ experience working with tourism sector, communities, conservation. Holder of MA in Rural Sociology & Community Development, Judy has dedicated her professional life to creating awareness on sustainable tourism. This has involved, challenging status quo, reviewing, debating and making contribution to how to effectively link tourism, community development, and conservation for sustainable tourism development.
She was the founding CEO of Ecotourism Kenya, the premier ecotourism society on Africa. While at Ecotourism she led and coordinated the development of criteria and standards for sustainable tourism certification, resulting in Kenya’s eco-rating scheme for hotels and lodges. In 2013, she founded Sustainable Travel & Tourism Agenda (STTA) an advisory organization that uses education, research, advocacy, and training to accelerate uptake of sustainable tourism, and support public and private sector agencies to engage and respond.
Globally Judy has served severally as a judge of World Travel and Tourism Council Tourism for Tomorrow Awards, and onsite evaluator for Nat Geo Unique Lodges of the World and Nat Geo World Legacy Awards. She has also been judge for IIPT Awards.
Her other roles in the industry include: board member of Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), advisory board member of The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) and recently board member of Fair-Trade Tourism South Africa (FTT).
Judy has made significant contribution to acceptance and understanding of sustainable tourism through development of tools, training and awareness, assessment, advocacy and recently through a regional publication for East Africa- The EA sustainable tourism report.
Judy has developed one-day training modules for businesses that are beginning the journey and to support those who are in formative years/stage to mature into truly sustainable operations.
In 2019, she was awarded the Sustainable Citizen Award by Forbes Woman Africa in recognition of outstanding contribution to awareness and knowledge of sustainability in tourism in Africa and beyond.
Founder Augmented Future
Confident Niyizibyose, 23, is a Rwandese technologist, Founder and Managing Director of Augmented Future a startup using augmented and virtual reality technologies to enable engaging story telling in education and creative culture industry.
With quickAR product, creators can bring to life their art works so that art gallery and museums visitors can scan artworks to extract more meaningful information such as story and inspiration behind it.
He is a technology for good champion where he has spearheaded or was part of the organizers at first Africa XR Delegation at Laval, VR month at Institut Francais Goma and numerous immersive art exhibitions. He is currently working on a pan African tourism platform powered by immersive technologies.
CEO / Africa Tourism Partners
Kwakye Donkor is the CEO of Africa Tourism Partners (ATP), a Pan African tourism advisory firm and a UNWTO award-winning firm. He is a renowned Pan-African strategist and expert in areas of tourism development, strategic and destination marketing, destination brand management and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition/Events). He is a recognised and highly respected personality in Africa tourism space, and speaks at global conferences, seminars and think tank fora.
Kwakye has demonstrated expertise in destination master planning as well as strategy formulation and execution, business transactional advisory and leadership development worldwide across education, finance, and hotel development. His expertise and experience have earned him the privilege to regularly serve on expert panels and think tank fora facilitated by international organizations including UNWTO, AU, SADC, The World Bank Group, GIZ, BBC, CNBC Africa, Channel Africa, ENCA, SABC and others across Africa.
He is the convener of the annual Africa Tourism Leadership Forum & Awards, Africa MICE Masterclass, Africa Youth in Tourism Summit and Africa Women in Tourism Summit series.