All Roads lead To Cairo For ATA 34th Annual Congress

By Lucky Onoriode George

                       
Less than one week, Africa Travel Association [ATA] members across the continent and from abroad will converged on Conrad Cairo Luxury Hotel for ATA’s 34th Annual Congress holding from May 17-21, 2009.

 Located in downtown Cairo, the five star property offers breathtaking views of the Nile River will agog with activities that could help reshape the future of tourism on the continent.

Sponsored by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Egyptian Tourist Authority, ATA’s annual hallmark event will include a tourism minister’s roundtable, an African Bazaar “marketplace”, networking receptions, and discussions on topics such as marketing and distribution in the global marketplace, business and investment opportunities in the travel industry, travel trends, air accessibility, the role and contribution of women to the industry, ATA’s general assembly meeting, and a series of special learning sessions on ATA, chapters development, and young professionals.

The event will conclude with a Host Country Day visit to the Great Pyramids and the National Museum.

Despite the excitement that the coming event has generated, many have accused ATA based in New York of arm twisting African tourism officials to hosting events that add little or nothing to the tourism fortunes of countries that had hosted the annual congress in the past.