10 - 12 April 2024

Meet our judges

The WTM Africa Travel & Tourism Awards judges bring together a breadth of expertise from throughout the travel and tourism industry.

Chris Mears, African Travel and Tourism Association

Chris Mears has spent his whole career working in African tourism and has extensive travel experience.

Chris is based in the UK, working as CEO of the African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA®), a trade association focused on promoting tourism to Africa from all corners of the world with over 650 members spread across 49 countries globally.

Michelle Page, Service Gurus

Michelle has been in the Hospitality and Tourism industry for over 28 years, I believes that enabling individuals especially the youth and women to empower themselves is a necessity that contributes to the upliftment of our society.

Michelle is co-owner of ServicesGurus , a business that focuses on people development, performance culture, skills development and enabling team members.

Harold Goodwin

Dr Harold Goodwin is a Professor Emeritus and Responsible Tourism Director at the Institute of Place Management at Manchester Metropolitan University, Managing Director of the Responsible Tourism Partnership and adviser to the World Travel Market on its Responsible Tourism programme at WTM London, WTM Africa, Latin America and Arabian Travel Market.

Lesley Simpson, LSC

LoAnn Halden is Vice President-Communications for the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association (IGLTA), the global leader in advancing LGBTQ+ travel. IGLTA’s mission is to provide information and resources for LGBTQ+ travelers and expand LGBTQ+ tourism globally by demonstrating its significant social and economic impact. In her communications role, LoAnn frequently speaks to global media outlets about LGBTQ+ tourism trends and has participated in travel sessions for consumers and trade on five continents, including WTM Africa, the Barcelona LGBTI Tourism Summit, the New York Times Travel Show, GNetwork360 in Buenos Aires and the JATA Expo in Tokyo.

She is based in Fort Lauderdale, home to IGLTA headquarters, and London, but has been passionate about Africa travel since her first visit in 1996/97: a two-month trip around South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Shireen Onio, Service Gurus

Damian Cook is the founder and CEO of ETourism Frontiers- a major global initiative to develop online tourism in developing markets globally. He has extensive experience with digital and content development and marketing working within DMOs, the private sector and as a consultant. He is a frequent and popular presenter at global tourism forums.

Beks Ndlovu, African Bush Camps

CEO of African Bush Camps (ABC), and professional guide, Beks Ndlovu, was born in the small rural village of Lupane, on the outskirts of Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe. His formative years in the bush ingrained a passion for wildlife and conservation that has been burning since.

Beks has become a leading voice in the tourism and conservation spheres, always advocating for tourism to be used as a vehicle to transform African communities and conserve wildlife.

Kojo Bentum-Williams

Kojo Bentum-Williams is the Founder and Publisher of Africa’s leading travel and tourism Publication, VoyagesAfriq Travel Magazine, and Media. A communication professional with over 12 years in working in travel and tourism trade. He is currently the Senior Expert for Communications in Africa at the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and aide to the Secretary General.

Kojo has worked closely with a number of African Tourism Ministers, Convention Bureaus, and CEOs of National Tourism Boards in Africa as well as the Africa’s Tourism Private Sector.

Travel & Tourism Awards

Take a look at the award categories you can enter or put forward a nomination

See our past winners

Click here the to view our winners and finalists under each category