Types of masterclasses, speakers and workshops.

The Summit’s faculty is assembled of world-renowned practitioners, professionals, experts, educators, future leaders, change-makers and trail-blazing researchers. Through the delivery of meaningful and practical dialogue, insightful presentations, training and interactive discussions, the faculty provides dynamic solutions to business challenges and empowers participants to apply their new skills and frameworks to make an immediate impact.

Among these are Ministers, UNWTO Director for Africa, Director: Innovation, Education and Investments, University Professors, Young Tourism Innovators, C-Level Corporate Executives, Successful Entrepreneurs, Lead Business Advisors, Sustainability Experts, Researchers, Hotel General Managers, Digital Marketing and Transformation experts, young entrepreneurs, Lead Industry Employment experts and more.

The Africa Youth In Tourism Summit & Innovation Challenge 2023 has themes for each year’s summit and therefore the programme, which consists of masterclasses and workshops, is centered around the theme.

Last year’s 2022 theme was “Developing youth and innovative entrepreneurship solutions for inclusive recovery”. The desired outcomes for this year’s Summit is to offer market access, lifelong partnerships, mentorship, funding and innovative opportunities for African youth, start-ups and entrepreneurs. This will be delivered as a curated SME Market access training, speed marketing sessions, desk-top exhibition, career development and guidance session and innovation challenge pitch battles. This is to allow likeminded people to connect with each other and identify collaborative opportunities. Since its inception in 2018, the Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit & Challenge has become a pan-African gathering that brings together youth, start-ups (leisure & MICE) and MICE professionals.

The programme comprises a series of business engagements, action-learning case studies, workshops, career development, market access and education initiatives. These aim to give attendees a unique platform to share and discuss innovative ideas, visions and proposals for start-ups, business recovery opportunities and revenue maximisation as presented below:

MASTERCLASSES

Masterclass	Speakers
Youth and SMME Digital and Social Marketing The best of digital marketing for tourism, global case studies – SMMEs’ perspective	Hando Sinisalu – Founder, Marketing Parrot, Estonia
Youth and SMME Digital and Social Media Marketing Digital and social media marketing in action – practical steps for profitable digital marketing approach for entrepreneurs	Lizanne Du Plessis – Founder Eco Africa Digital, South Africa
Pursuing a career in MICE in confidence – Exploring the MICE industry career path through learning, professionalism and high performance culture	Mulemwa Moongwa (CMM) – Meetings Professionals International, Zambia
Jumpstarting SMEs & Start-ups Learning about how SMEs & Startups can maximize new opportunities to accerelate business recovery and enhance growth	Jabulani Debedu – Senior Consultant, BDO, South Africa and Lee-Anne Bac – Director, BDO, South Africa
#Staying in Business Transitioning from tourism start-up to micro, small and medium enterprise in tourism	Septi Bukula – Founder, SEEZA and Managing Director, Osiba Management, South Africa

WORKSHOPS

Workshops	Speakers
Conceptualising and developing new business models in commercially viable Small Enterprises	Dan Dsouza – Innovation, UK
Unpacking the business of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events): An untapped opportunity for African Youth in Tourism & Entrepreneurship Africa	Linda Pereira – Senior Partner and CEO, L&I Communications Group, Portugal
Thought leadership & Ministerial roundtable Mainstreaming the role of youth, start-ups and SMES as future change-makers acros	Moderator: Nomasonto Ndlovu – COO, South African Tourism Hon. Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu – Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Zimbabwe Hon. Pohamba Shifeta, MP – Minister of Environment, Forestry and Tourism, Namibia
Future change-makers case study Gaining insights into how to transition from innovation to becoming an economically changemaker – The case of AfroChella, Ghana	Kenneth Agyapong Jr – Co-founder, AfroChella • Khaliphile – Student Pilot, Zimbabwe Flight Centre • Jean Confident Irene Niyizibyose – Founder and Managing Director, Augmented Future, Rwanda • Moderator: Luzé Kloppers – Architect & Project Manager. Runner-up, Youth in Tourism Innovation Challenge 2021 & Programme Ambassador, Namibia
Business Advisory Expert Perspective Understanding critical steps in financial modelling for SME funding in a post-Covid era	• Jabulani Debedu – Senior Consultant, Strategic Development and Advisory, BDO, South Africa • Mr. Robert Eiman, the DBN Head: SME Finance, Namibia, Development Bank • Kaunapaua Ndilula – Managing Director & Trustee, NamPro Fund, Namibia • York Zucchi – Centre for unconventional entrepreneurship, Switzerland • Moderator: Dr Geoffrey Manyara – Economic Affairs Officer, UNECA, East Africa Office, Kigali, Rwanda
Fostering transformation & innovation Digital Transformation and Innovation: A growth imperative for tourism SME and Start-up in Africa	• Prof Keo Motaung – Director, Technology Transfer and Innovation, Durban University of Technology, South Africa •Natalia Bayona – Director, Innovation, Education and Investments, UNWTO, Spain • Linda Balme – Commercial Manager Travelstart & Innovation City, South Africa. • Prof. Diane Abrahams – Director, School of Tourism and Hospitality, University of Johannesburg, South Africa • Moderator: Dr. Kobby Mensah, Senior Lecturer and Coordinator, MSc. Hospitality and Tourism, University of Ghana Business School