The VA TourismPodcast

In today’s episode from the beautiful city of Samarkand, in Uzbekistan, I sat down with Anita Mendiratta on her new book titled ‘’The Call to Leadership: Unlocking the Leader Within in Times of Crisis’’. In a sneak peek of the book, the Special Advisor to UNWTO Secretary General said whether it’s a personal crisis or a pandemic we all need to know how to get through the hardest of times.

My conversation today is with the CEO of Botswana’s Fair Ground Holdings Ms Gorata Gabaraane. She unpacks the entity’s role in the development of Botswana’s MICE sector and reveals plans to upgrade its facilities to meet the needs of the industry.

Gorata Gabaraane is the Chief Executive Officer of Fairground Holdings (Pty) Ltd, a distinctive Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions venue in Botswana. Operating in a country listed amongst the top 5 to invest in (according to the 2021 RMB where to Invest in Africa research) - means her institutional service delivery is devoid of anything less than excellent. She has worked for listed Hospitality groups such as Cresta Hotels and Sheraton Hotels. She is known for consistently curating presidential customer experience for clients. Her distinct leadership is characterized as a strong strategic visionary with an innate ability to build and motivate high-performing teams. 

A turnaround industry maverick, Gorata has played critical leadership roles orchestrating both strategy and organizational design within entrepreneurship development entities, state-owned entities mandated to drive foreign direct investment as well as country positioning for global competitive advantage. She has been a Board Member of the Botswana Meat Commission and Board Chairperson of Table Bay Cold Storage, based in Cape Town. 

Gorata has three daughters and is intentional about contributing to the next generation of curious, innovative, and cutting-edge African pioneers. She coaches young leaders and entrepreneurs from across the country. As a devout life-long learner, she continues to read extensively and engage markets through diverse platforms on sustainable hospitality and innovative food security. 

Gorata's educational arsenal includes completion of a Master’s Degree in Strategic Management with the University of Derby in the UK, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Hotel Restaurant, and Institutional Management from Johnson & Wales University (Providence, Rhode Island) as well as a Diploma in Hotel Management from Les Roches in Switzerland. 

In today’s episode, the Managing Director of Labadi Beach Hotel David Eduaful opens up on his nearly one year as the Hotel’s first Ghanaian MD. He reflects on the hotel’s performance in the market and projects a positive outlook into the last stretch of the year.

My conversation today is with the senior sales lead at City Lodge Hotel Maputo Airina Hama Thai. She gives an overview of Maputo’s capacity for MICE events and its readiness to match the growing business and leisure interests in the city. Airina says the Evisa roll out has made things easier not just for the traveller but has also lessened issues such as cancellations and no-shows at accommodation establishments.

In today’s episode, the CEO of Millvest Investments and one of the conveners of the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum, Miller Matola previews this year’s event which is a few days away. He says the strategic partnership with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement will be one of the highlights of this year’s ATLF. 

Today’s episode is a continuation of our special coverage of Mozambique’s burgeoning tourism sector. My guest is Noor Momade, CEO of COTOUR and President of the Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators of Mozambique. In this conversation, Noor unpacks the recovery of the country’s tourism industry and the role his association is playing to improve the sector. He wants government to expedite action in liberalizing the air transport to improve domestic connectivity.

Ahead of the 6th Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and Awards slated for the 4-6 October in Gaborone, Botswana, I caught up with Dan Dsouza, a speaker and a  global leader in corporate innovation, with expertise in fostering corporate venturing and start-up creation. He tells me he wants to see influential, and people in power who can influence and create places for safe practice to change the industry.

Today’s episode is a special issue of our coverage of Mozambique’s burgeoning tourism sector. My guest Lwana Lopes, the General Manager of Sentidos Beach Retreat one of the leading resorts in Mozambique, talks about the opportunities and challenges with tourism in the country. Lwana tells me they look at offering an experience and not just sleeping on a bed. She concludes with the hotel’s plans for the MICE and incentive market as it plans to roll out new product offerings.

In today’s episode, Mozambique’s Minister of Culture and Tourism Eldervina Materula takes a deep dive into the state of the country’s tourism sector following the ringing changes of its visa policy and the rollout of the evisa program. The country recently held the 11th National Cultural Festival and she believes Mozambique’s cultural heritage can propel its tourism renaissance.

My guest today is Mwanase Ahmed, the CEO & Co-owner of Distant Relatives Ecolodge and Backpackers, a unique eco-lodge in Kilifi, Kenya. The lodge has in the last ten years built a coalition of environmentally conscious travellers and made the local community the pillar of its project. Mwanase talks about her passion for the work and how destinations could tap into their model to develop robust and sustained domestic tourism.

Mwanase Ahmed, a global citizen with roots on Lamu Island, has journeyed through living in the United States, France, Central America, and Senegal before returning to her homeland of Kenya. As the visionary CEO and Co-owner of Distant Relatives Ecolodge and Backpackers, she combines her rich cultural experiences with a deep passion for sustainable tourism, integrating social and environmental responsibility. With a background in Sociology, International Studies & Political Economy, Mwanase brings a unique perspective to her leadership role, fostering a harmonious blend of ecological awareness, community empowerment, and unity, and enriching travel experiences through positive social & environmental activities.