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Tourism Entrepreneur Podcast

Tourism Entrepreneur Podcast

By Tourism Entrepreneur Network

A podcast for ( and about) tourism entrepreneurs from Africa and beyond. We showcase some of the most innovative ventures and highlight trends and developments in the tourism and hospitality industry.
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The Fascinating World of VIP Travel with Johnny Vegas

Tourism Entrepreneur PodcastMar 30, 2022

00:00
19:36
The Fascinating World of VIP Travel with Johnny Vegas

The Fascinating World of VIP Travel with Johnny Vegas

Topics : VIP travel, Luxury travel, events & entertainment, , Johnny Vegas, Yohanes Zewdu, Dubai ,Kloudout Travel, Koob travel, covid19 

Johnny Vegas, the founder of Dubai-based Luxury Travel agency Kloudout is our guest today. We talk about his childhood in Ethiopia, how he moved to the USA and set up what has become one of the most sought-after VIP travel and entertainment brands. 

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:10] About Johnny: intro and background

[2:31] About Kloudout and Koob Travel

[4:24] Tips to grow and succeed in the VIP travel industry

[6:50] Challenges and impact of Covid19

[14:21] About Dubai and its tourism offering


LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Kloudout website: https://www.kloudout.com/

Johnny's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/johnny1vegas/?hl=en 


Mar 30, 202219:36
Crowdfunding for tourism SMMEs with Phakamile Hlazo and Nnenna Fakoya-Smith

Crowdfunding for tourism SMMEs with Phakamile Hlazo and Nnenna Fakoya-Smith

Topics: Women in Tourism, Nnenna Fakoya-Smith, Tourism SMMEs in Africa, Tourism funding, Phakamile Hlazo, South Africa, Nigeria

Do not miss this conversation on tourism funding and travel trends hosted by South African Tourism Strategist Phakamile Hlazo. Phakamile chats to Nigerian award-winning tourism promoter and visibility coach Nnenna Fakoya-Smith about her newly launched Tourism Crowdfunding platform and Walk For Love campaign. 

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:42] About Nnenna: intro and background

[3:55] Impact of Covid19 in Nigeria

[6:08] Tourism Crowdfunding platform

[13:30] African SMMEs and the issue of funding

[17:50] The process of setting up a tourism crowdfunding platform in Africa

[24:00] Trends in African tourism


LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Nnenna Fakoya-Smith: https://www.instagram.com/ajalanene/?hl=en 

Walk for Love: https://linktr.ee/WalkForLoveAfrica 

Phakamile Hlazo: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phakamile-hlazo-84843432/

Zulu Nomad: https://www.zulunomad.com/ 

Mar 15, 202228:42
The Rise of Travel Apps and the Future of Group Travel with Charlotte Franzellin

The Rise of Travel Apps and the Future of Group Travel with Charlotte Franzellin

Topics: Trippers, New travel app, group travel, Charlotte Franzellin, Weekend getaways in Europe

Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast, I am your host Vanessa Mbenoun and today we are taking a look at a new mobile app which is hoping to change the way travel is booked. Trippers allows you to spend less time on planning and more on experiencing. Its founder, Charlotte Franzellin is our guest so please stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and visit tourismentrepreneur.com

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[0:53] About Charlotte: intro and background

[2:29] About Trippers: the group planning app

[3:40] Trippers target market and expansion plans

[7:10] The path to launch a successful travel app

[10:00] How the idea of Trippers came about: common issues with group travel

[12:40] What differentiate Trippers from other travel apps

[16:30] Trends and future of travel

[20:10] Lesson learned and words of wisdom

That’s it for today! In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Trippers: https://trippers.app/about-us/

Jul 28, 202122:28
Mergers and Acquisitions in tourism with Wolf Wӧrster of Acceso Europe

Mergers and Acquisitions in tourism with Wolf Wӧrster of Acceso Europe

Topics: Acceso Europe, Mergers and Acquisitions in tourism, Buy a tourism business, vacation rentals, CertiStay, Wolf Wӧrster

Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast, I am your host Vanessa Mbenoun and today we are going to take a closer look at the concept of acquisitions in the tourism industry and see what options are available to you as a tourism entrepreneur if you wish to sell or buy a new business. We chat to the founder of Acceso Europe, a firm which represents owners, companies and entrepreneurs in the selling and acquiring of travel and leisure related businesses. Wolf Wӧrster is our guest so please stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and visit tourismentrepreneur.com

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:14] About Wolf: intro and background ( Volta Villas and CertiStay)

[8:52] About Acceso Europe

[11:05] Understanding Country licensing and Master Franchising

[12:54] How to join/register to buy and sell on Acceso Europe

[15:13] About the African market

[16:50] Future trends in the tourism industry

[19:00] Words of wisdom for  tourism entrepreneurs

[20:10] What’s next for Acceso Europe

That’s it for today! In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Acceso Europe: https://www.accesoeurope.com/

CertiStay: https://www.certistay.com/

Volta Villas: http://www.voltavillas.com/

Jul 20, 202121:30
The Future of the MICE industry & the Rise of Hybrid Events with Andy McNeill of American Meetings, Inc.

The Future of the MICE industry & the Rise of Hybrid Events with Andy McNeill of American Meetings, Inc.

Topics: MICE, Meetings, events, incentives, conferences, Andy McNeill, AMI global, hybrid events, COVID19, Destination Everywhere podcast

Today we talk about Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions ( also known as MICE) and the rise of hybrid events. Our guest this morning is the CEO and founder of A.M.I Global, an industry-leading meetings and events agency. He is also the co-host of the Destination Everywhere Podcast which I know you’ll want to check out after listening to this interview. Andy McNeill is on the Tourism Entrepreneur podcast, so stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe and visit tourismentrepreneur.com

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:14] Andy’s intro and background

[2:50] About the Destination Everywhere podcast

[5:05] The State of the MICE industry

[7:14] Tips and tools to host successful hybrid events

[9:12] How can destinations carve their own space in the global MICE industry

[11:10] Trends that will impact the MICE industry in the future

[14:25] Words of wisdom and encouragements for fellow MICE entrepreneurs

[15:40] What’s next for the Destination Everywhere podcast

That’s it for today! Coming up next week: a conversation with Wolf Worster, CEO of Acceso Europe. In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

AMI Global: https://americanmeetings.com/

Destination Everywhere podcast: https://americanmeetings.com/podcast/

Jul 07, 202117:01
Experience Creators and the Rise of Ex-commerce with Lisa Simpson of Easol

Experience Creators and the Rise of Ex-commerce with Lisa Simpson of Easol

Topics: Easol, ex-commerce, experience economy, Shopify for experiences, Travel, tourism entrepreneurship, Tour operators

Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast, I am your host Vanessa Mbenoun and today we are going to take a closer look at tours and experiences and talk about the rise of “ex-commerce”. Today we welcome the co-founder of EASOL, the first e-commerce platform dedicated to travel and experience businesses. Lisa Simpson is our guest so please stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast and visit tourismentrepreneur.com

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:00] Lisa’s intro and background

[9:50] What is Ex-commerce and how does it differ from E-commerce

[13:50] When could experience businesses start generating revenues again?

[20:30] (From Easol report) American travellers concerns regarding COVID19

[23:12] ( From Easol report) Group travel beyond the pandemic

[24:10] Growth tips for Ex-commerce businesses

[29:12] What’s next for EASOL

That’s it for today! Coming up next week: a conversation with Andy McNeill, CEO of AMI and co-host of Destination Everywhere podcast. In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

EASOL: https://easol.com/

EASOL report:  https://easol.com/easol-better-days-are-coming.pdf

Jun 28, 202132:01
Tourism Talks: Sustainability and the Future of Tourism in Africa with Judy Kepher-Gona of STTA Kenya

Tourism Talks: Sustainability and the Future of Tourism in Africa with Judy Kepher-Gona of STTA Kenya

Topics: Sustainability, Responsible travel, Fair Trade in Tourism, Community conservation, Travel, tourism entrepreneurship, future of African travel

Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and today we will conclude our series on sustainability. People, brands, destinations… It seems like everybody talks about it but what is it really about? To make sure we get the right answers this morning, we welcome one of the leading figures of sustainable tourism in Africa . She has over 20 years’ experience working with the tourism sector with a focus on community based tourism and community conservation. she was awarded the Sustainable Citizen Award by Forbes Woman Africa and she is the founder of the Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agenda (STTA Kenya). Judy Kepher-Gona is on the tourism entrepreneur podcast so stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe and visit tourismentrepreneur.com

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:45] Judy’ s intro and background

[11:50] Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agenda ( STTA Kenya)

[32:10] Definition of sustainability and sustainable tourism

[44:20] Understanding the concept of community conservation

[50:10] What should Africa’s priorities be when it comes to making our tourism industry more sustainable?

[59:40] About the African Tourism Leadership Awards: challenges and next edition

[1:03:00] Advice for tourism entrepreneurs and responsible travellers

[1:09:40]  What is next for STTA

That’s it for today! Coming up next week: a conversation with Lisa Simpson from Easol. In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

STTA Kenya: https://sttakenya.org/

Kamaroutes: www.kamaroutes.com

SATSA: https://www.satsa.com/

Jun 23, 202101:12:09
The Benefits, Challenges and Future of Fair Tourism with Charlotte Louwman-Vogels of Fair Tourism NL
Jun 08, 202126:33
T.E. Talks: sustainability and the business of tourism in South Africa with Phakamile Hlazo and Alesimo Mwanga

T.E. Talks: sustainability and the business of tourism in South Africa with Phakamile Hlazo and Alesimo Mwanga

Topics: Travel, tourism entrepreneurship, sustainability,  travel trends, covid19, future of African travel, inAfrica travel, PAWA Africa

Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast. Today is Africa Day and we are welcoming not one, but two leading female entrepreneurs, to talk about sustainable tourism and running a tourism business in South Africa. My guests are Alesimo Mwanga, Executive director of PAWA Africa and Phakamile Hlazo, founder of Zulu Nomad and inAfrica Travel.


TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:24] Alesimo’s intro and background

[3:50] Phakamile’s intro and background

[11:50] Definition of sustainability by Alesimo

[19:00] How to future-proof your tourism business by Phakamile

[23:08] About the long-term social and economic impacts of the pandemic in Africa by Alesimo

[30:58] How can SA tourism entrepreneurs secure investments by Phakamile

[39:18] About bootstrapping and starting small by  Alesimo

[46:50]  About diversity and inclusion in SA tourism industry by Phakamile

[57:45] Future plans and projects

That’s it for today! Coming up next week: we will be chatting to Charlotte Louwman-Vogels of Fair Tourism NL. In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

inAfrica : https://inafrica.travel/

Zulu nomad: http://www.zulunomad.com/

Phakamile Hlazo: http://phakahlazo.com/

PAWA Africa; https://pawaafrica.com/

Tourism Entrepreneur: https://www.tourismentrepreneur.com/

May 24, 202101:05:22
The Path to Success for Black Travel Content Creators with Caroline Sande of TravelEatSlay

The Path to Success for Black Travel Content Creators with Caroline Sande of TravelEatSlay

Topics: Travel, Black Travel, content creators, tourism entrepreneur, travel trends, digital marketing, covid19, future of black travel, TravelEatSlay, The travel Box

Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and today is the 2nd and last part of our series on black content creators. Our guest today is an experienced travel content creator who has been featured in Conde Nast traveler and Travel Noire. She is a is the founder of TravelEatSlay, an apparel brand and community of travel enthusiasts.

Caroline Sande is on the tourism entrepreneur podcast so stay tuned and don’t forget to subscribe and visit tourismentrepreneur.com

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[0:44] Guest intro and background

[3:10] How to make your travel brand unique

[5:20] introducing Travel Boxx

[9:11]  About diversity, inclusion and Black travel.

[17:13] Tips for travel content creators

That’s it for today! Coming up tomorrow: it’s Africa Day and we will be chatting to Phakamiile Hlazo of inAfrica and Alesimo Mwanga of PAWA. In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Travel Eat Slay: http://traveleatslay.com/

The Travel Boxx: https://thetravelboxx.co.uk/

Tourism Entrepreneur: https://www.tourismentrepreneur.com/

May 24, 202125:28
How to demystify travel in the black community and succeed as a travel content creator with Rachel V Hill

How to demystify travel in the black community and succeed as a travel content creator with Rachel V Hill

Topics: Travel, Black Travel, content creators, travel trends, digital marketing, covid19, future of black travel

Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and this morning we are welcoming a travelpreneur who was one of Travel Noire’s “11 Influential Black Women in Travel You Should Know”, she’s been featured on USA Today, Huffington post and Lonely Planet. She is also a published author, a digital marketing strategist and if you haven’t guessed it yet, her name is Rachel V Hill and trust me, you don’t want to miss this chat. So stay tuned and don't forget to subscribe to the podcast!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[1:00] Guest intro and background

[06:37] Demystifying travel in the Black community

[8:20] How to transform an idea into a valuable digital product

[12:28]  How can we as an industry make Black travel content creators more visible

[16:20] Key points to consider in influencer marketing

[19:50] Marketing war room podcast and other resources available on rachelvhill.com

[22:50] Tips for travel content creators

That’s it for today! Coming up next week: we chat to Caroline Sande, founder of TravelEatSlay.com .In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Rachel V Hill websites: https://www.rachelvhill.com/ & https://www.racheltravels.com/

Tourism Entrepreneur: https://www.tourismentrepreneur.com/

May 10, 202129:14
The Future of African Travel with Katja Quasdorf of Jenman Safaris Group

The Future of African Travel with Katja Quasdorf of Jenman Safaris Group

Topics: Africa, travel trends, tourism marketing, covid19, future of travel

Welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and today we will be talking to a well-known figure of our industry about the future of African Travel. Her name is Katja Quasdorf, you might know her as the CEO of the Jenman safaris group but she is also a passionate leader and conservationist. I am petting sure she is going to share valuable insights regarding the crisis our industry is currently facing so please stay tuned and don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and our YouTube channel!


TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[0:39] Guest intro

[01:31] Katja’s background and future career plans

[06:46] Jenman Safaris covid19 coping plan and internal procedures

[14:46] Suggestions on how to reopen travel successfully

[18:28] “ whether it’s in terms of recruitment or ability of Africans to travel, do you think out industry is inclusive or conducive enough?”

[21:45] Trends that will impact the future of African travel

[26:36] Katja’s final remarks and tips

That’s it for today! Coming up next week: we chat to Caroline Sande, founder of TravelEatSlay.com .In the meantime, visit tourismentrepreneur.com to join our community and monthly events! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Jenman safaris: https://www.jenmansafaris.com/

Chilo Gorge safari lodge: http://chilogorge.com/

Kamaroutes: www.kamaroutes.com

African tourism trends by Phakamile Hlazo: https://www.tourismentrepreneur.com/top-african-tourism-trends-for-2021/

Lightning Travel Recruitment: https://lightningtravelrecruitment.com/

Mar 30, 202128:05
The rise and future of digital nomads with Dan Rozenblum of Becomenomad
Mar 22, 202134:02
The Future of Employment in Tourism with Chris King of Lightning Travel Recruitment

The Future of Employment in Tourism with Chris King of Lightning Travel Recruitment

Topics: tourism jobs, travel and hospitality, unemployment, labour market, covid19, recruitment in tourism, personal branding

Hello everyone and welcome to season2 of the tourism entrepreneur podcast. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and we are going to talk about the current state of the industry and the future of the labour market post-covid. To discuss this topic which is even more sensitive if we take into account the inevitable wave of job losses that hit the industry since last year,  we are welcoming Chris King, founder and CEO of Lightning Travel Recruitment in the UK!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[01:00] the current issues with recruitment in tourism

[04:38] Adopting a human approach in recruitment

[05:40] How has the pandemic affected the labour market and what skills are now in demand

[09:25 The future of travel and employment in tourism

[14:05] The importance of formal education for your tourism career

[16:20] Tips to grow your personal brand in the tourism industry

[19:00] Inclusion and diversity in the travel industry

That’s it for today! Coming up next week: we partner with Chris King to launch the Own Your Brand webinar and you can book your seat for free HERE. In the meantime, let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Lightning Travel Recruitment: https://lightningtravelrecruitment.com/

Personal branding webinar: https://www.tourismentrepreneur.com/event/personal-brand-building-in-the-tourism-industry/ 

Mar 08, 202122:59
The State of Luxury Travel with Sarah Groen of the Luxury Travel Insider Podcast

The State of Luxury Travel with Sarah Groen of the Luxury Travel Insider Podcast

This is the last episode of the year and the closing topic for this first season is luxury travel. A much coveted niche which according to some observers, has been the hardest hit by the pandemic. Our guest is the founder of Bell & Bly travel, a boutique travel advisory for entrepreneurs & executives. She is also the host of the luxury travel insider podcast and a  contributing travel columnist for CEO World Magazine. Sarah Groen is our guest today!

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:37] Sarah’s background and how she started her tourism brand

[03:50] The Luxury Travel Insider podcast

[05:48] What is luxury travel and what differentiates luxury travellers from others

[08:43] The state of luxury travel before and after the COVID19 pandemic

[11:10] Future travel trends

[15:03] Tips for luxury travel entrepreneurs and startups

[18:33] That’s it for today! Coming up next week: the official launch of the tourismentrepreneur.com website! In the meantime, let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Luxury Travel Insider Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/show/luxury-travel-insider

Bell & Bly travel: https://bellandblytravel.com/luxury-travel-insider/

Dec 02, 202019:16
How to make adventure tourism more accessible with Jezza Williams of Making Trax

How to make adventure tourism more accessible with Jezza Williams of Making Trax

Topics: Inclusivity in Travel, Accessible tourism, Jezza Williams , Making Trax, disability tourism,  adventure travel,  Diversity in travel

According to Making Trax, one in four New Zealanders have a disability and  approximately 650 million people have a physical disability. This is the last episode of our series on inclusivity in travel and today we are talking about how we can make adventure tourism more accessible to travellers with special needs. Our  guest is the man behind “LIMITLESS”, an award-winning documentary that depicts the life of a tetraplegic paraglider. He is also an international adventure guide, with more than 20 years’ experience and a world expert in inclusive tourism. The founder of Making Trax in New Zealand, Jezza Williams is our guest today!


TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:37] New Zealand’s tourism in the covid-era

[02:40] State of inclusive tourism

[04:34] Tool: Making Trax’ inclusive directory

[08:05] Inclusive tourism vs accessible tourism

[11:28] Jezza’ story and personal experience

[15:40] Challenges of a tourism entrepreneur with special needs

[18:35] How to connect with travellers/clients with special needs

[20:26] That’s it for today! Coming up next week: A chat with Sarah Groen of Bell & Bly on the state of luxury travel In the meantime, let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Making Trax: https://www.makingtrax.co.nz/

Limitless the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5p89DobXUo

We are explorers: https://weareexplorers.co/meet-jezza-williams-limitless/

Nov 11, 202021:14
How to stimulate diversity and inclusion in the Travel Industry with Martinique Lewis
Oct 28, 202015:24
How to make the travel industry more inclusive for LGBTQ+ with Robert Geller of Fabstayz

How to make the travel industry more inclusive for LGBTQ+ with Robert Geller of Fabstayz

Topics: Inclusivity in Travel, Robert Geller, Fabstayz, LGBTQ+ , Vacation rental, Airbnb

We are still talking about inclusivity in travel and this week, we are going to focus on how to create a better industry for the LGBTQ+ community. It is clear that a lot of progress has been made so far, but truth is people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender still face the harshest forms of discrimination, even in spaces claiming to embrace diversity. For instance, imagine having to disclose private information like your sexual orientation every time you book a room, to avoid any “bad surprise” when it’s time to check in… Well, our guest is the founder of a vacation rental company that brings an end to travellers having to come out to their hosts. His name is Robert Geller and he is the founder of Fabstayz.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:58] Robert’s professional background and previous venture

[03:39] How and why Robert created Fabstayz

[06:35] What sets Fabstayz apart from other LGBTQ friendly vacation rental companies

[09:42] Importance of allies in the LGBTQ+ community

[13:24] The Airbnb polemic and how Fabstayz ensures the quality of their listings

[14:33] Upcoming projects

[16:20] Lesson learned and advices to entrepreneurs

[17:40] That’s it for today! Coming up next week: A chat with Martinique Lewis and the ABC Travel Greenbook. Let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Fabstayz: https://fabstayz.com/

Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com

MisterBnb: https://www.misterbandb.com/

Martinique Lewis: https://www.martysandiego.com/

Oct 21, 202018:20
Inclusivity in Travel: How to amplify the Voices of Black Travellers (with Ella Paradis)

Inclusivity in Travel: How to amplify the Voices of Black Travellers (with Ella Paradis)

Oct 13, 202017:59
Virtual Events: Coronavirus Fad or Here To Stay? - with Venicia Guinot

Virtual Events: Coronavirus Fad or Here To Stay? - with Venicia Guinot

Topics: Virtual Events, Business tourism, Tropics Business Summit, Covid19, Venicia Guinot

According to Ruben Castano of virtual events solution platform 6Connex, the virtual event industry has increased by 1000%  over the last few months. The covid19 pandemic badly impacted large and even small scale events worldwide so logically, organizers had to look for suitable alternatives. Although going virtual was one of the best options at the time, now borders are reopening and restrictions are slowly loosening up, and it is difficult to predict if the trend is here to stay. Today we are going to talk about virtual events and business tourism in South Africa with Venicia Guinot, the founder of the Tropics Summit (TBS) , one of the most prominent business meetings on the African Continent.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:56] Venicia’s background and how the Tropics Business Summit was created

[03:54] The State of Business Tourism in South Africa

[05:02] Challenges of hosting virtual events

[07:52] Are Virtual Events here to stay?

[09:57] What to expect from the first virtual TBS

[07:57] Albert’s Advice to fellow tourism entrepreneurs.

[11:20] Upcoming projects and new ventures

[15:55] That’s it for today! For the next 4 weeks, we will focus on the concept of Inclusivity in tourism. Let’s keep in touch: connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

6connex: https://www.6connex.com/

Tropics Summit website: https://tropicsbusinesssummit.com/

Oct 05, 202018:30
360 Stories: Reshaping Tourism through AR/VR

360 Stories: Reshaping Tourism through AR/VR



Topics: Virtual Reality, Virtual Reality, Albert Poghosyan, Augmented Reality, E-Tourism, Prof. Roman Egger, Google

Today’s episode is the last of our series on travel photography and Virtual Reality and I am very excited to chat to our guests, who are experts in the fields of VR and E-tourism. It’s quite an interesting topic and it is important to note last year already, the global virtual reality market size was valued at more than 10 billion dollars. It is also predicted in the near future, VR videos will become the ultimate tool in tourism marketing and travel planning.  We will talk about how this specific technology can be used to revive the tourism industry and practical ways for small tourism businesses to adopt Virtual Reality. Albert Poghosyan, the founder of 360 Stories is our special guest and Prof. Roman Egger, head of the department of innovation and management in tourism of the university of Salzburg in Austria will be joining us later to answer our listeners’ questions.

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[01:05] Albert’s background and why 360 Stories was created

[03:19] How to implement/adopt VR as a small tourism business

[05:20] Opportunity: How to become a 360 Stories partner/content creator

[06:21] Opinion: will VR ever replace physical experiences?

[07:18] Upcoming plans/projects for 360 Stories

[07:57] Albert’s Advice to fellow tourism entrepreneurs.

[09:27] Prof. Roman Egger answers our audience’s questions about AR/VR and the future of tourism

[21:52] That’s it for today! Coming up next: A chat with Venicia Guinot on business tourism in Africa and virtual events. Let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur

LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

360 Stories: https://360stories.com/

More on VR: http://www.virtual-reality-in-tourism.com/

Sep 29, 202022:41
Shoot My Travel: Redefining On-demand Travel Photography

Shoot My Travel: Redefining On-demand Travel Photography

Topics: Travel photography, Shoot My Travel, Valerie Lopez

Through our workshops, I have met a lot of young entrepreneurs who would love to create more opportunities for themselves but think because of their background, the colour of their skin or their gender, they shouldn’t be too ambitious. Our guest’ story is a reminder that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself and your idea. She founded a global marketplace connecting travellers with on-demand professional photographers in more than 500 destinations around the world. Her company has raised over a million dollar in VC funding and if you haven’t read about her on The New York Times or Forbes, be sure to catch her today on the tourism entrepreneur podcast. Today’s episode is the third of our series on vacation photography and Valerie Lopez, the founder of Shoot My Travel is our guest.


TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

[00:55] Valerie's background and how Shoot My Travel was created

[05:10] Achievements: Shoot My Travel’s expansion, partnership with Apple and awards

[06:43] From bootstrapping to VC funding

[08:48] Challenges faced as a female founder in tourism

[09:59] Valerie’s insight on the future of travel

[13:19] Upcoming projects

[14:10] Valerie’s advice to new and aspiring tourism entrepreneurs

[16:16] That’s it for today! Coming up next week: Albert Poghoshyan of 360 Stories on AR/VR in tourism. Let’s keep in touch! Connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur


LINKS MENTIONED IN TODAY’S EPISODE:

Shoot My Travel: https://www.shootmytravel.com/

360 Stories: https://360stories.com/

Sep 15, 202016:51
Explorest: The Travel App making Location Scouting great again

Explorest: The Travel App making Location Scouting great again

Sep 08, 202017:50
Travographer: The Rise of the Private Travel Paparazzi
Sep 01, 202011:44
How to adjust your content marketing strategy post Covid19 with Peter Fabricius

How to adjust your content marketing strategy post Covid19 with Peter Fabricius

As tourism restarts in an increasing number of countries, many companies are looking for effective ways to reconnect with their customers. This however might  be more complicated for some businesses and today's guest, will help us figure out the best strategic steps to follow. His name is Peter Fabricius, he's been working with tourism brands across Asia and Africa and he is the co-founder of Springnest,  an online marketing platform for tourism and hospitality businesses.

Aug 25, 202015:42
Mzansi Tourism Champion: A support network for those in need

Mzansi Tourism Champion: A support network for those in need

Welcome to the Tourism Entrepreneur Podcast.

We are back in South Africa where according to  the Tourism Business Council ( TBCSA) , a daily loss in tourism expenditure of R748 million  has been recorded, as a result of covid19 pandemic. Up to 600 000 jobs or more could also be at risk... In order to uplift and meet the needs of tourism employees who have been left without an income during this time, the Mzansi Tourism Champions initiative was born.  Its co-founder, Tim Louw is our guest today.

Aug 18, 202014:22
Wayaj: Tackling Climate Change Through Tourism

Wayaj: Tackling Climate Change Through Tourism

During a family trip to Togo (West Africa) , seasoned traveller Nelly Gedeon realised the devastating effects of global warming on the environment. When she returned to the United States, she started researching the impact of tourism on the environment and found out up to 9% of greenhouse gas emission originated from it. Nelly decided to create Wayaj, he first ecotravel app designed to explore and book sustainable and socially responsible destinations around the world.

Aug 11, 202020:44
How To Thrive in Tourism Marketing during a pandemic with Natalia Rosa

How To Thrive in Tourism Marketing during a pandemic with Natalia Rosa

In August, South Africa celebrates Women's Month and today's guest started the brillant #IAmTourism campaign which aims to uplift women in tourism as herself. She will also share relevant and practical tips on how to market tourism brands in times of crisis. We are delighted to welcome Natalia Rosa, the director of Big Ambition Marketing.

Aug 04, 202013:42
Trailer-Tourism Entrepreneur Podcast

Trailer-Tourism Entrepreneur Podcast

Hello everyone and welcome to the tourism entrepreneur podcast!

This is a platform for - and about - tourism entrepreneurs from Africa and beyond. Together, we are going to discover some of the world's most innovative tourism ventures. I am your host, Vanessa Mbenoun and I am the founder of 2 award-winning tourism companies: Creative And Moving and Kamaroutes Travel Designers.

Tourism is a multibillion industry and also one of the fastest growing in the world. Don't you wonder sometimes who are the mysterious men and women behind it?  Well I do and I can't wait to meet them and learn from their journey. And ultimately get inspired by their stories.

One of the goals of the show is also to keep you updated on the current trends and developments in the tourism and hospitality industry

So please do not hesitate to join us and connect with us on Twitter and Instagram @tourismpreneur!

Jul 27, 202001:22