Speakers 2021 – Africa Youth In Tourism Summit

SPEAKER DETAILS 2021 Event Seakers

My name is Amanda and I’m a highly motivated and experienced key account manager with over a decade of experience in the tourism, operations, learning and development as well as quality assurance fields. My passion includes building customer relationships and successfully closing sales whilst delivering exceptional customer service across different industries. My experience includes facilitation of strategy meetings, negotiation facilitation, market research and analysis, product development, branding and advertising. I have worked for both small start-ups and large corporations including airlines, government agents, and the public sector; and have developed a deep understanding of what it takes to create a successful business and high-performing teams. My motto in life is, Be Creative, Impactful and Drive the Change in our communities for the best chance that we have to drive the change. For this reason, I participated in key events that helped me further my life’s quest to be purposeful and make a difference. Over the past 4 years I have served as a panellist for the Africa Tourism Day; The African Tourism Approach – by Jon Howell & Kojo Bentum-Williams. I was also a moderator panellist for the World Travel Market in 2020, the World Travel Market 2023 – Women in Tourism as well as the Global Travel South Africa (GBTA Conference) – Aviation and the Future. I serve as a GBTA Board Member and an entrepreneur who has a conviction that Tourism has a pivotal role to play in changing our communities and our lives. And if we create an environment for every brand to tell its story by creating compelling stories that resonate with the target audience; the audience will be inspired to engage and a plethora of benefits realised like job creation. I have a Bachelors of Commerce degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from The University of South Africa in Johannesburg. And being part of the Ekurhuleni Water Project, Human Resources Disbursement and Talent Planning Committee, App Creation for Zebra Cabs, Negotiating fees and contracts to reach mutually beneficial agreements with clients, creating and managing project plans, timelines and budgets, crafting dynamic content marketing pieces for broad client base to drive consumer awareness of brands, wrote quality content for clients, enabling site visitors to quickly obtain information; are some of my additional proud moments. I also enjoy volunteering in my community and mentoring young entrepreneurs as a lifelong learner and am always seeking new ideas and ways to innovate.

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.

2021 Event Speakers

SPEAKER DETAILS 2021 Event Seakers

Akwasi Obeng Adjei

Aline Murekatete

Anthea Rossouw

Ashwin Ravichandran

Assia Riccio

Barry Clemens

Akwasi Agyeman

Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo

Bernadine Galliver

Carmen Nibigira, Ph.D.

Charity Kabango

Christelle Grohmann

Dianne Dusaidi

Dr Kobby Mensah

Dr Salfifou Siddo

Elcia Grandcourt

Emmanuel Frimpong

Gcina Nomsa Dlamini

Hon Dr. Ibrahim Awal

Joep Schoof

John Yao Agbeko

Jon Howewll

Judy Kepher Gona

Kim Szpiro

Kojo Bentum-Williams

Lee-Anne Bac

Marina Novelli (PhD)

Mrs Nandipha David

Natalia Bayona

Prof Nellie Swart

Richard Perez

Septi Bukula

Teta Ndejeru

Thomas Muller

York Zucci

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