African sports tourism summit holds on African Day

OrganiSed in media partnership with Supersports, Afrotourism, African Traveler Quaterly, The Afritraveller and technical partnership with African League of Sports Tourism Stakeholders and managed by Heventin Corporate Event Managers – The African Sports Tourism Week is a four-day, five-activity gathering of eggheads in the sports and tourism industry, where we cross-fertilize ideas towards social-economic growth for Africa and her nations, taking advantage of opportunities provided by sporting events, monuments and collections through active sports tourism, event sports tourism and nostalgia sports tourism. Like a nation’s cup, it is hosted by different African nations – year after year.

Speaking on the rationale behind the event, Deji Ajomale-McWord, Chief Executive Officer, African Sports Tourism Week said “Nigeria ’99  was the biggest sporting event Nigeria ever had opportunity to host and it was next to a wasted chance, because organising committee saw only sporting activity and not a prime slot to lure the world into wanderlusting after a Nigeria they could experience from every side that there is to her people and natural gems.

Responding to questions on The African Sports Tourism Summit, Deji, revealed that the organisers were never deliberate about having the summit on May 25, which is the day set aside to celebrate everything and everyone African, globally. “We had chosen the date before we realised it’s the African Day. I guess that’s the spirit leading the way. And we are glad to have BBC Africa joining SuperSports and other media from both sports and tourism landscapes, in covering the event”, he said.

For FIFA World Cup, The Masters, Rugby World 7Series, The Olympics, Super Bowl or Roland Garos to hold; there must be a convergence of the sporting talents, their managers, coaches, doctors, therapists, officials and ultimately their fans. For convergence to happen, travel and services/products in its value chain MUST be part of the equation. This is proof that tourism is sport. Sport is tourism. But how well have these industries been working together, especially in Africa? This is why we have decided to initiate a platform for the fellowship of the two industries, in Africa.

• Why we celebrate Eledumare Cultural-tourism festival —Gani Adams

The host city for the 2018 edition is Lagos. The summit is slated for May 23 to 26, 2018.

Activities of the week include: African Sports Tourism Summit – wiwll hold at Golfview Hotel & Suites on  May 25,  Sports Travel Week Cup – a football competition among NANTA, NATOP, SKAL, FTAN members, a team formed by travel bloggers/reporters and interested travel agencies holds at Meadow Hall, Lekki on May 27, Sports Tourism Destination Exhibition & Golf Tournament at Ikoyi Club 1938 are scheduled for May 23, Sports Photography & Art Exhibition is  billed for May 24, Fam Trip – post-event

The event will also showcase more than a century old relics on sports in Nigeria.

The panel of discussants at the summit will be doing an evaluation, in retrospect, of the biggest international sporting events that have held on the continent – including Nigeria ’99 and South Africa 2010 – for future betterment. They will also be dissecting payment infrastructure deficit and how it limits African nations from hosting the world, as much as they ought to.

The panelists include: Abimbola Ilo – CEO, Integral Sande (Russia 2018 FIFA Hospitality Programme Exclusive Sales Agent), Shehu Dikko – FIFA Stakeholders Committee member, Chairman of Nigerian League Management Company, Ikechi Uko – Founder, Akwaaba Travel Market – Nigeria, Seyi Akinwunmi – Lagos FA Chairman, 1st Vice President of NFF, Stella Fubara-Obinwa – Director of International Operations (Africa Market), Dubai Tourism – UAE.

Kayode Tijani – Veteran Sports Journalist, Curator of Nigeria Sports Library – Nigeria, Charity Githinji – CEO, Tandaza – Tanzania, Mozez Praiz of SuperSports and Biola Kazeem – Sports Media & Marketing Professional – Moderator.