NAN-H-153
Tourism
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, March 1, 2017 (NAN) Three foreign Ministers will be in attendance at the 2017 Port Harcourt Bantaba, a travel and tourism speed dating event, that was first held on Abuja in 2011.
This was disclosed in a statement by the organisers of the event, Mr Chukwuemeka Chigozie, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Chigozie said invited foreign minister were Timothy McPherson, Finance Minister of Acompong, Jamaica, Walter Mzembi, Tourism Minister for Zimbabwe and Alain St Ange, Tourism Minister for Seychelles.
He said that the 2017 edition of Bantaba was unique as it would be returning after two years absence but with a shift from its traditional Abuja location to the Garden City of Port Harcourt.
The event, according to him, will hold at De Edge Hotel Resort, Port Harcourt from March 16 to 17.
“While Syechelles and Acompong will be making a maiden apprearance at the event, Zimbabwe was well represented by its Deputy Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Annastacia Ndlouv at the 12th Akwaaba Travel in 2016.
“In Zimbabwe, tourism is recognised in successive economic blue prints as an economic pillar and it is under the Value Addition and Beneficiation Cluster of ZIMASSET,’’ he said.
Chigozie disclosed that leading globally rated experts, who would be speaking this year, include Mr Damian Cook from East Africa, an expert on e-tourism.
He added that training would cover topics on e-Tourism Theory and Practice, e-Marketing Strategy, Web Design, Content and Management, Analytics and Conversion Optimisation, Search Engine Marketing and Relationship Marketing.
According to him, it will also cover the Generation Gap – Encouraging User Generated Content; Trip advisor, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Managing Multimedia, Mobile and Location Based Services.
“Bantaba is an opportunity for stakeholders in the industry to come together to discuss some of the salient issues affecting the sector and the way forward with the Akwaaba annual travel fair, the foremost West African travel fair holding in Lagos, ACCRA Weizo in Ghana.
“The Bantaba speed dating will offer a platform for travel trade networking in the South-South & South-East regions of the country in 2017,’’ he said. (NAN)
OYS/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide