Africa Tourism Leadership Awards
Africa Tourism Leadership Awards

These are the only pan-African industry awards that recognize and celebrate change-makers and innovations pioneered by Africans, in Africa, for African travel, tourism, hospitality, and aviation industries.

Particular attention and recognition is given to nominees who can prove their commitment to leadership through sustainability in tourism practices and policy-making.

Nominees and winners include individuals, small enterprises, countries, heads of states, destinations, cities, hotel groups, organizations, ministers, policy-makers and entrepreneurs.

Award Categories

Currently, the award consists of the following categories:

  1. Leading in Progressive Policies’ Award

– A country, head of state, minister or government organization/team who has shown progressive and excellence in policy-making for sustainable tourism growth and development in their destination.

  1. Outstanding Entrepreneurship Award

-An entrepreneur (or a small group of entrepreneurs) who has shown excellence in entrepreneurship in Africa’s travel, tourism, hospitality and/or aviation industry.

  1. Outstanding Africa Tourism Media & Marketing Award

-The most influential media and/or marketing contribution to changing the image of Africa.

  1. Women in Leadership Award

-The most inspiring and influential leading woman who has and continues to make an outstanding contribution to changing the course of tourism development in Africa.

  1. Championing Sustainability Award

-Destination, business, third sector organization or policy that has made an outstanding contribution to conservation/ environmental protection and community development.

  1. Most Innovative Business Tourism Destination Award

-Most Innovative and Sustainable Business Tourism and MICE Destination in Africa based on destination rating, number of classified hotels, value for money, value chain development, number of visitors vs socio-economic benefits to the destination and/or green credentials.

  1. Outstanding Accommodation Facility / Group Award

-Accommodation facility with the best world-class facilities, quality standards, service excellence provided to guests and sustainable practices (i.e. green credentials, decent employment practices, staff development opportunities) in Africa. Small operations are highly encouraged to participate.

  1. Outstanding Tourism Transportation Award

-Tourism transport organization providing the highest quality standard of service to travelers and has sustainability environmental credentials. This includes the most reliable and efficient transportation companies serving all destination in Africa including remote tourism destinations in Africa.

  1. Destination Africa – Lifetime Award

-This will be offered to an individual who has made exceptional lifetime contribution in creating positive change in relation to “Destination Africa” beyond the African continent.

Criteria for Nomination

The experts making up the nomination committee nominate three (3) nominees for each category on the basis of nomination received based on the following attributes:

  • Nominees must be a stakeholder in Africa’s travel, tourism, hospitality and aviation industries – including public, private, third sector stakeholders, individuals or group of individuals, destinations, communities and other stakeholders operating in Africa.
  • Nominees must be doing something outstanding and innovative with measurable results.
  • Nominees must be involved in an outstanding project or initiative and demonstrate consistent achievements over a period of a minimum of 2 years.
  • Nominees must be able to demonstrate the sustainability of their operation in terms of the economic as well as environment and social impact (e.g. environmentally sensitive, ethical in their operations, inclusive in their workforce engagement).
  • Nominees must demonstrate some level innovation in entrepreneurship and/or technology.

Benefits of the Awards

  1. Free invitation to ATLF Master Class (in sustainable product development, MICE and Marketing) Awards Dinner and any side events.
  2. An opportunity to showcase services, products or destination during ATLF
  3. An endorsement by a nomination committee formed by internationally, acclaimed experts.
  4. The opportunity to present the awardee’s work to world at ATLF, and 12 months outstanding international media and digital marketing exposure at no cost.

To read more about the awards visit: https://www.tourismleadershipforum.africa/

The following are the winners of the awards grouped yearly

1. Leading in Progressive Policies’ Award

Botswana Tourism
Winner: Bostwana Tourism

A country, head of state, minister or government organization/team who has shown progressive and excellence in policy-making for sustainable tourism growth and development in their destination.

2. Outstanding Entrepreneurship Award

Cassandra “Coach Cass” Nuamah
Winner: Cassandra “Coach Cass” Nuamah

An entrepreneur (or a small group of entrepreneurs) who has shown excellence in entrepreneurship in Africa’s travel, tourism, hospitality and/or aviation industry.

3. Women in Leadership Award

Amaka Amatokwu-Ndekwu
Winner: Amaka Amatokwu-Ndekwu

The most inspiring and influential leading woman who has and continue to make and outstanding contribution to changing the course of tourism development in Africa.

4. Most Innovative Business Tourism Destination Award

Ghana Tourism Authority
Winner: Ghana Tourism Authority

Most Innovative and Sustainable Business Tourism and MICE Destination in Africa based on destination rating, number of classified hotels, value for money, value chain development, number of visitors vs socio-economic benefits to the destination and/or green credentials..

5. Outstanding Accommodation Facility / Group Award

Ghana Tourism Authority
Winner: Hotel Verde – Cape Town International Airport

Accommodation facility with best world class facilities, quality standards, service excellence provided to guests and sustainable practices (i.e. green credentials, decent employment practices, staff development opportunities) in Africa. Small operations are highly encouraged to participate.

More View of Hotel Verde - Cape Town International Airpot

6. Outstanding Tourism Transportation Award

SA Airlink
Winner: SA Airlink

Tourism transport organization providing the highest quality standard of service to travelers and has sustainability environmental credentials. This includes the most reliable and efficient transportation companies serving all destination in Africa including remote tourism destinations in Africa.

7. Outstanding Africa Tourism Media & Marketing Award

Northern Cape Tourism
Winner: Northern Cape Tourism

The most influential media and/or marketing contribution to changing the image of Africa.

Top Things to do in the Northern Cape, South Africa.

8. Championing Sustainability Award

Chobe Game Lodge
Winner: Chobe Game Lodge

Destination, business, third sector organization or policy that has made an outstanding contribution to conservation/ environmental protection and community development.

Top Activities in Chobe National Park, Botswana

9. Destination Africa - Lifetime Award

Rodger Foster
Winner: Rodger Foster

This will be offered to an individual who has made exceptional lifetime contribution in creating positive change in relation to “Destination Africa” beyond the African continent.

1. Leading in Progressive Policies’ Award

Rwanda Development Board
Winner: Rwanda Development Board
A country, head of state, minister or government organization/team who has shown progressive and excellence in policy-making for sustainable tourism growth and development in their destination.


Rwanda Development Board (RDB) is a government institution, established in 2008, primarily to create a One Stop Shop for business and investments. RDB has been built with global expertise and modelled on international best practice. Currently, RDB’s key services are; Investment Promotion, Export & SEZ Development, Investment Deals Negotiation, Tourism and Conservation, Skills Development and One Stop Center services (business and investment registration, visa facilitation, EIA, tax incentives management, etc.)

2. Outstanding Entrepreneurship Award

Flawless Events - Ethiopia
Winner: Flawless Events - Ethiopia

An entrepreneur (or a small group of entrepreneurs) who has shown excellence in entrepreneurship in Africa’s travel, tourism, hospitality and/or aviation industry.


Flawless Events is an international event & destination management agency that specializes in end-to-end design and production of international conferences, special corporate events and brand activations

3. Women in Leadership Award

Anthea Rossouw - South Africa
Winner: Anthea Rossouw - South Africa

The most inspiring and influential leading woman who has and continue to make and outstanding contribution to changing the course of tourism development in Africa.


Founder of Dreamcatcher South Africa. Globally recognised and community revered, multi-award winning, multi-lingual social innovator, pioneer and stake holder engager.

4. Most Innovative Business Tourism Destination Award

Cape Town & Western Cape
Winner: Cape Town & Western Cape

Most Innovative and Sustainable Business Tourism and MICE Destination in Africa based on destination rating, number of classified hotels, value for money, value chain development, number of visitors vs socio-economic benefits to the destination and/or green credentials..


The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country.Cape Town is the provincial capital and also the South Africa's legislative capital. The region is well known for its scenic beauty and a wealth of flora and fauna. With an abundance of hiking trails you have a choice between coastal or mountain hikes.

Top Things to do in and around Cape Town & Western Cape, South Africa.

5. Outstanding Accommodation Facility / Group Award

SABI Private Game Reserve - South Africa
Winner: SABI Private Game Reserve - South Africa

Accommodation facility with best world class facilities, quality standards, service excellence provided to guests and sustainable practices (i.e. green credentials, decent employment practices, staff development opportunities) in Africa. Small operations are highly encouraged to participate.


Since 1979 Sabi Sabi has hosted visitors from all over the world, drawn to this unique area by the promise of the safari experience of a lifetime. Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, situated in the Sabie Game Reserve in the South-Western section of the Greater Kruger National Park, is a wildlife oasis, where you can observe at close quarters the age-old natural relationship between predator and prey.

6. Outstanding Tourism Transportation Award

Ethiopian Airlines
Winner: Ethiopian Airlines

Tourism transport organization providing the highest quality standard of service to travelers and has sustainability environmental credentials. This includes the most reliable and efficient transportation companies serving all destination in Africa including remote tourism destinations in Africa.


Ethiopian Airlines (founded in 1945), is one of the continent's leading carriers, unrivalled in Africa for efficiency and operational success, turning profits for almost all the years of its existence. Operating at the forefront of technology, the airline has also become one of Ethiopia's major industries and a veritable institution in Africa.

7. Outstanding Africa Tourism Media & Marketing Award

Voyage Afriq
Winner: Voyages Afriq

The most influential media and/or marketing contribution to changing the image of Africa.


VoyagesAfriq is Africa’s Travel & Tourism Media & News publication with specialist interests in presenting the continent's travel & tourism to a Global Audience. VA provides superior News content about Travel and Tourism in Africa & beyond.

8. Championing Sustainability Award

Anthea Rossouw - South Africa
Winner: Anthea Rossouw

Destination, business, third sector organization or policy that has made an outstanding contribution to conservation/ environmental protection and community development.


Founder of Dreamcatcher South Africa. Globally recognised and community revered, multi-award winning, multi-lingual social innovator, pioneer and stake holder engager.

Dreamcatcher has been working inclusively in communities locally in South Africa, yet building partnerships world wide, to remove barriers to economic -and skills empowerment and improved quality of life and we specifically focus on women, children and youth.

9. Destination Africa - Lifetime Award

H.E. Nana Akuffo Addo - Ghana Government and Republic of Ghana
Winner: H.E. Nana Akuffo Addo - Ghana Government and Republic of Ghana

This will be offered to an individual who has made exceptional lifetime contribution in creating positive change in relation to “Destination Africa” beyond the African continent.


H.E. Nana Akuffo Addo (born March 29, 1944, Accra) - Ghana Government and Republic of Ghana, is a 5th president of Ghana since 7 January 2017.

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