Africa Travel Awards 2016: Ethiopian Airlines, others emerge winners

Ethiopian Airlines, Africa's toast of the moment, has won another award in the category of best airline servicing the continent courtesy of Africa Travel Awards 2016.

The airline has proven its worth with a chain of successes in the aviation industry, introducing cutting-edge aviation technology and state-of-the-art aircraft; from Africa's first jet aircraft in 1962, the first African B767 in 1984, the first African B777-200LR in 2010, the first B787 Dreamliners in the world, outside of Japan, in 2012, to the most advanced and latest world-class aircraft, the Airbus A350.

Talk of safety, Ethiopian has earned a lot of commendation for its airworthiness, flight integrity and time management. Business-wise, the airline has huge prospects for the future with its Vision 2025, looking to emerge "world-class African airline, with a fleet size of more than 140, flying 22 million passengers, airlifting 820,000 tonnes of cargo, flying to more than 120 international and 26 domestic destinations and generating $10 billion revenue and $1 billion dollars net profit," the airline's Country Manager, Abebe Angessa, told newsmen recently.

Other deserving awardees include former head of marketing for Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, late Belinda Muthinhiri, who died last month. She won the category of Africa Tourism personality of the year. She was credited as one of the early promoters of Intra-Africa Tourism.

There were 21 other winners including the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality for Zimbabwe, Walther Mzembi.

In other categories, Cape Town emerged the most Passenger friendly Airport in Africa. The CEO of Rwandair, Mr. John Mirenge won the Award for the African Aviation Personality of the year while his Airline, Rwandair, won the Award for the best Short Haul Airline in Africa.

Kenya and its Tourism Board, KTB, won 4 Awards, Rwanda 4 awards, Ethiopia 5 and South Africa 6 awards. The only winner from West Africa was Radisson Blu in Dakar, Senegal, which was chosen as the best Business hotel in Africa.

The 4th Edition of Africa Travel Awards organised by atqnews.com will hold on the first day of the 3-day Akwaaba African Travel Market event slated for 30th October, 2016 at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos, Nigeria. Dinner tickets are available on www.africantravelmarkets.com. 

The Africa Travel Award winners were chosen in a 2 part survey which included the public and a committee of experts.

The committee members nominated candidates which were then voted for by the public via an online questionnaire. There were votes from All over Africa and as far away as Russia, Norway, most of Europe, USA, and the Latin America but majority of the votes came from Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

The nominees with the highest scores were then ratified by the committee which was a pan African committee of Travel Professionals from different countries in Africa. They Drew up a Shortlist of nominees to be voted for by the public. The criteria for the choices were listed alongside the Nominees.

The committee members were drawn from East, West, South and central Africa and it is not surprising that most of the winners are from Sub Saharan Africa. They included Denis Gathanju, a passionate journalist and photographer based in East Africa. Sandra IDOSSOU, an Afropolitan hotelier, trainer, mystery shopper, consultant, writer, author, traveler, publisher who has been an expatriate in 8 African countries since 2000. Chiquita Afuluenu Johnson is the former National Tourism Consultant for the Republic of Liberia and CEO of West Tourism Management.

Monique Swart who is the Founder of the African Business Travel Association (ABTA). She has worked within the association environment for the corporate travel industry for 17 years.

Other members Included Ali Diouf, an Experienced Journalist from Senegal; Sheikh Tejan, an Experienced Tourism Administrator from The Gambia; Charity Githinju, a travel expert based in Tanzania; Siphelele Luthuli is a travel consultant and communication expert from South Africa and Khomotso Kelsall also a South African Based Travel Consultant.

From Uganda, it was Barbra Adoso, a leading Tour Operator, Nancy Sam Quartey from Ghana. Other Tour Operators include Benin Republic based Olanma Ojukwu, Ms. Josephine FiFi Rurangwa, Rwandan national, born in Uganda. She is the Head of Africa Expansion of Wakanow.com. Rwanda based Catherine Mutuale, Nigeria based Atinuke Nwakohu. Kenya's Annet Nashipae was also among the Travel consultants.