This year’s sixth edition of the Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit, to be held in Windhoek, Namibia from May 28-31, has been curated to accelerate innovative travel industry and start-up linkages amongst all participants.

Key among this year’s programme is an Entrepreneurship Masterclass and Intra-Africa Trading Day. These are aimed at youth and women in tourism, businesses, start-ups, entrepreneurs and all Namibian Tourism stakeholders to guide and assist them on how to improve their businesses or to source funding for start-ups across Africa’s tourism and related industries.

The programme also aims to provide insights and guidance on how participants can connect to angel investors (wealthy private investors), innovative start-ups, travel tech innovators, and youth-run tourism businesses making waves in Africa.

The Entrepreneurship Masterclass and Intra-Africa Trading Day will be characterised by a Market Access Expo set-up, one-on-one Business Exchange, and Africa Tourism Innovation Challenge Boot Camp/Demo Lab.

Among renowned international experts speaking at the Summit are:

• Dino Ballotti – Executive Director: MSME Development, Innovation & Acceleration, Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board.
• Waseem Carrim – Chairperson, National Youth Development Agency, South Africa.
• Dan D'souza – Senior Programme Manager, Intrapreneurship L Marks, United Kingdom.
• Akwasi Obeng-Adjei – Director of Audit: Wealth, Investment Management and Insurance, ABSA Bank, South Africa.
• Joram Mwinamo – CEO and Founder, Wylde International, Kenya.
• Prof Matshediso ‘Tshidi’ Mohapeloa – Acting Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Rapid Incubator, Rhodes University, South Africa.
• Nombulelo Guliwe – CEO, South African Tourism. 
• Khaya Mbanga – Head of Digital Advisory, BDO.

This year’s Summit is set to host more than 650 physical delegates and over 2 000 online participants from across the world. The Ministry of Tourism, Environment, Forestry and Tourism Namibia will provide exhibition space to allow tourism stakeholders to sell their products and services to a wide range of participants.

Delegates have been encouraged to stay a day or two longer to indulge in some of Namibia’s famous delights, including the dunes, wildlife, culinary aqua tourism and nightlife.

Interested participants can click here to register to attend physically as there is limited space.