Africa Tourism Partners, UNWTO and BDO South Africa, have launched the fourth annual Africa Youth in Tourism Innovation Challenge. The event is scheduled to take place in Namibia and will be hosted by the Namibia Ministry of Environment, from July 27-29 2022.
The aim of the challenge is to empower African youth between the ages of 18 and 35 by providing business partnerships, market access, networking and mentorship platforms, and funding solutions from the global marketplace including UNWTO, Namibia Business enterprises, private sector, social entrepreneurs, start-ups travel, fintech entrepreneurs and ATP networks.
The challenge seeks to provide a distinctive platform that calls for innovative youth, who are running innovative solution-driven projects that go beyond technology but are related to the travel and tourism industry, to submit their projects for review and adjudication by a panel of adjudicators. As part of the program, shortlisted innovators are introduced to industry leaders and potential partners for mentorship and support.
The winner of the Africa Tourism Innovation Challenge will receive a US$1 000 (R16 025) seed grant, whilst first and second runners-up receive US$500 (R8 017), among other benefits.
Director of Innovation, Education and Investments at UNWTO, Natalia Bayona, stressed that empowering youth through entrepreneurship is one of the keys to creating more added value jobs and modernizing the tourism model through innovation: “Only 5% of the worldwide unicorns are focused on tourism, so there is a strong opportunity to create new start-ups and grow in new niches such as gastronomy, wellness, events tourism & hospitality industry.”
Selected top five candidates will be required to present five-minute demos to the judges for selection of the winner and first and second runners-up. The Finals of the Innovation Challenge will be held in November in Botswana, close to the annual Africa Tourism Leadership Forum and Awards.
The deadline for entry submission is May 25.
