Speakers 2022 – Africa Youth In Tourism Summit

SPEAKERS DETAILS Event Speakers

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.

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.

Ms Francine Zana was born in Coega in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape Province. Born into a humble and modest family she aspired to pursue a career in business, but due to financial difficulties dropped of college after completing her second year and went to work as a domestic worker and cleaner. Through sheer determination and personal drive worked her way up in to Management Position. And is the current Managing director and owner of Exclusive Hospitality Concepts, a company which specialises on the interests of private homes and established hospitality establishments who don’t have big hotel resources but aim to archive high operation standards and systems.

She holds vast amounts of experience in the industry with over fifteen years working in the sector, firstly beginning as a Domestic worker and room attendant/Waitress/Front office she worked her way up to management level within the industry. And eventually working for award winning establishments like the No5 by Mantis group which specialises in 5 star boutique hotel. This is where she was given the big brake to start training other workers. Ms Zana is a current holder of a National Lilizela Tourism Award 2017 The Minister’s Award Category, which was awarded to her by the Ministry of Tourism for her contribution to the tourism industry. She is also a winner of Standard Bank Top woman in the Eastern Cape Region, she was also Awarded Life time Achievement in entrepreneurship by CEWENA she also received an awards from the Nelson Mandela bay Mayor as part of the Top 50 Companies operating in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.

She is also a Service Excellence Ambassador in the Eastern Cape Province. She also founded her own Hotel organic amenity range: Organic Amenities by Francine. She is also a founder of Celebrating Woman in Hospitality Gala Dinner/Awards this is an event that aims to recognise and honour the people who makes the Hospitality industry the success that it is today. She also runs a special program were she provides hospitality training to unemployed youth and later place them in hotels for temporal/Casual or permanent positions this is a non- funded project that aims to produce high quality hospitality staff and also create job opportunities for unemployed.

She was recently awarded Standard Bank Top Women Regional Entrepreneur for the year 2019 she was also awarded the African Women in Tourism Leadership Award for the year 2020.

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.

2022 Event Speakers

SPEAKERS DETAILS Event Speakers

H.E. Dr. Hage G. Geingob

Hon. Pohamba Shifeta

Ms. Elcia Grandcourt

Mr. Kwakye Donkor

H.E. Sen Pang

Mr. Teofilus Nghitila

Mr. Sebulon Chicalu

Hon. Heather Sibungo

Miller Matola

Barry Clemens

Prof. Keo Motaung

Akwasi Obeng-Adjei

Dr. Kobby Mensah

Caroline Amito

Netumbo Nashandi

Jose Ricardo Diaz Ardila

Seimy Shidute

Hando Sinisalu

Lizanne Du Plessis

Dan Dsouza

Linda Pereira

Mulemwa Moongwa (CMM)

Jabulani Debedu

Lee-Anne Bac

Septi Bukula

Hon. Modero Nsimba Matondo

Simon Williams

Hon. Nqobizita Mangaliso Ndlovu

Hon. Philda Nani Kereng

Hon. Rodney Sikumba

Pascal Viroleau

Nomasonto Ndlovu

Heinrich Hafeni

Ignacio Villoch

Alex Mabunda

Susan Akporiaye

Kenneth Agyapong - Jr

Khalipa Sibanda

Luzé Kloppers

Jean Byamugisha

Digu Naobeb

Kojo Bentum-Williams

Mr. Robert Eiman

Kaunapaua Ndilula

York Zucchi

Dr Geoffrey Manyara

Iddy John

Adebayo Adedeji

John Friel

David Akinin

Francois van Schalkwyk

Natalia Bayona

Linda Balme

Prof. Diane Abrahams

Kevin Hin

Ms. Ndiitah Nghipondoka-Robiati

Martin Inkumbi

Stacey Susa-Pinto

Richmond Kwame Frimpong

Ben Anane Nsiah

Rumbidzai Mudzengerere

Amanda Kotze-Nhlapo

Chavunga Lungu

Hon. Dr. Itah Kandjii – Murangi

Roux-Che Locke

Iwona Fluda

Dr. Carmen Nigibira

Dr. Erling Kavita

Muvatera Ndjoze – Siririka

Prof Nellie Swart

Hon. Verna Sinimbo

Vincent Oparah

Daisry Mathias

Achma Foster

Winnie Muchanyuka

Toska Sem

Aaron Munetsi

Jean Confident Irene Niyizibyose

Amanda Michelle Mvinjelwa