Over the years the Africa sector of the U.S. travel industry has urged direct training of front-line travel agents in selling and updating travel to Africa. The Southern California Chapter of the Africa Travel Association has taken upon itself to offer its Africa Travel Academy, which was initially presented in Los Angeles in 1992 at University of Southern California in cooperation with the Los Angeles Times’ first travel show.

The 1992 event drew over 300 travel agents, including attending the luncheon hosted by the Kenya Tourism Board. Agents came from as far as Texas and Colorado to take advantage of the day’s Academy curriculum. The updated version of the Africa Travel Academy will takeplace in conjunction with the Travel & Adventure Show in Los Angeles/Long Beach on Saturday, February 21, 2015.

The Academy is being presented as an all-day, high intensity training of how to and what to sell of Africa. About 30 to 50 travel agents and tour operator employees will take advantage of Africa sales and destination booking knowledge and training. The Academy is presented as free, pre-registration event.

Mr. Edward Bergman, Executive Director of the Africa Travel Association, reinforced the educational aspect of the Academy as imperative to all segments of the Africa tourism industry, especially now when the tourism flows to Africa is under pressure of events beyond everyone’s control.

“We commend the Southern California ATA’s Africa Travel Academy,” said Mr. Bergman. “It was in the early 90s that the Chapter organized the first Academy which in turn spawned the Africa tourist flow from California, making it the most important source market for most of the Africa destinations. I am sure that many of the agents who will participate in the Academy will become the future leading operators and movers for Africa, just as many of the 1992 attendees have become.”

The Academy is underwritten by the Southern California Africa Travel Association Chapter as part of its educational travel trade and market outreach.

“We look forward to once again offering an opportunity to front-line travel agents to become a part of a strong Africa Sales Corps and positioning themselves to better promote tourism to the African continent, which has been our commitment since 1975,” said Michael Madison, President of Southern California ATA Chapter.

The Los Angeles/Long Beach Academy is being held the first day of the consumer Travel & Adventure Show, an event organized and produced by Unicomm.

Southern California Chapter of the Africa Travel Association, www.SoCalATA.org
Travel & Adventure Show, www.travelshows.com