It is no secret that Africa holds the highest unemployment rate in the world, however entrepreneurship is the most efficient tool to combat youth unemployment in the continent and that’s who The Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit (AYTIS) & Challenge is targeting .
The Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit (AYTIS) & Challenge is hosted by Africa Tourism Partners in collaboration the UNWTO (World Tourism Organisation) and BDO (Binder Dijker Otte). It is the “one and only” pan-African Youth and start-ups in Tourism Summit and innovation challenge in tourism on the continent. It seeks to unite all the relevant international stakeholders to create a more conducive business environment and to enable the youth to take advantage of all the opportunities in the business sector.
The Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit & Innovation Challenge is the most anticipated event of the year. This particular event is specifically designed for the under dogs in the entrepreneurial space; the undiscovered leaders in innovation and youth that seek to enhance their business development skills and ultimately create more income. The Summit is a platform that calls for youth running innovative and solution-driven projects that go beyond technology but are related to the travel and tourism industry to submit their projects for review and adjudication by an expert panel of judges.
This year’s Summit will include desktop exhibition focused on highlighting youth empowerment initiatives, SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) trade offerings including tour operators, tourism accommodation facilities, transport service providers, educational institutions, travel and marketing technology start-ups and incubators, employment agencies, professional development and more.
This competition invites and welcomes innovative ideas and solutions that goes beyond technology but are travel, tourism and MICE industry-related projects for review and adjudication by a preeminent panel of industry leaders. Through the summit and other media platforms, the top 5 finalists of the Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Challenge are introduced to industry leaders, mentors and potential funders and/or partnerships.
The Delegates will network with African and global tourism leaders, entrepreneurial innovators, and partner organizations from across Africa and the rest of the world at the summit.
The key focus areas of the event will involve but not limited to youth entrepreneurship, and students’ immersion in innovation, small enterprise development, personal transformation, and self-actualization. The various aspects of the summit become a best practice guide on how to create a successful and sustainable business in tourism and other related sectors.
Shortlisted Innovation Challenge nominees will have will be given mentorship opportunities and be introduced to potential investors subject to the quality of innovations. The finals of the Innovation Challenge will take place on the margins of the annual Africa Tourism Leadership Forum (ATLF) and Awards scheduled to take place in mid-November 2022 in Botswana.
The Summit usually hosts approximately 250 in-person and over 1600 virtual attendees including Ministers, tourism officials, policymakers, SMMES, start-ups, students, entrepreneurs and government officials from Africa and the rest of the world. Among these are young women-owned and run tourism businesses, venture capitalists, tourism innovators, technoprenuers, entrepreneurs, university students, university lecturers, start-ups, representatives of youth agencies, officials of youth public institutions, education centres, investors and incubators/accelerators around compelling tourism issues. Others are executives and representatives and staff of youth development, entrepreneurship, tourism career guidance and development organisations.
Key stakeholders, partners, supporters and participants include corporations, international development organisations, financial institutions, government ministries responsible for youth, sports and recreation, education centres, universities, civil society organisations, investors and incubators/accelerators. Others are leisure tourism, business tourism and MICE organisations interested in succession planning and youth development across Africa.
This offers the following opportunities to all delegates:
- Market access, sales and business development opportunity in order to allow start-ups and entrepreneurs to thrive in their business
- Lessons for revenues growth tactics by showcasing their products and services
- Do business and network at the Summit;
- Provide countless opportunities and allow delegates to identify new marketing
- Opportunities, sell products and services; and
- Build relationships and find cross-border travel and tourism business and marketing opportunities.
