SEYCHELLES INVITED AS PANEL GUEST AT ITB BERLIN CONVENTION 2014 AFRICA FORUM
Almasalla Arab Travel Portal News – The Africa Forum that took place at the 2014 ITB Destination Day 3 addressed the topic of "The Potential of Luxury Tourism in Africa". The Forum was moderated by the well known and very popular Barbel Schafer, the TV Host on Hessischer Rundfunk and it addressed the the term ‘luxury’ as this terminology is undergoing currently a paradigm change among global tourists. Recent surveys are reporting that classic status goods are loosing their importance whereas calmness, solitude, authenticity, sensuality, nature and space are gaining in importance. The Forum concentrated on Africa’s potential for new luxury tourists that appears to be considerable. The question posed to the ITB Berlin Convention Africa Forum was:-
What do new tourists really expect, and how can tourism destinations like Africa optimally exploit these market opportunities?
The this discussion Prof Roland Conrady, the Scientific Director of the ITB Convention and Faculty of Tourism & Travel, University of Applied Sciences Worms had invited Friedrich Alpers, the Advisor IRDNC (Integrated Rural Development and nature Conservation, Namibia), the Organiser of the Namibian wildlife tracking tours with the Sun Bushmen, Les Carlisle, the Group Conservation Manager for &Beyond, Elcia Grandcourt, the Programme director, Regional Programme for Africa, World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), Hon Alain St.Ange, Minister of Tourism and Culture from Seychelles, Jens Hulvershorn, the Director Marketing & Sales, Gebeco, Dr Ralph Kadel, the Senior Project Director, Agriculture and Natural Resources, KfW Bankengruppe, Hon Sylvia Masebo, Minister of Tourism and Arts from Zambia who was represented at the Forum by her Junior Minister and Dr Ibrahim Mohamed, the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Tourism Kenya who was represented at the Forum by his Director for Tourism.
The session that took place on Friday 7th March at 1.15pm was live to a packed room and was also covered by an impressive bank of press.
The ITB Berlin Convention 2014 Africa Forum saw a lively debate between the panel guests and expertly moderated by Barbel Schafer, the German TV Host. Seychelles was on different occasions referred to as the dream and the known holiday destination for the luxury travelers and for honeymooners.
