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The most influential sustainable tourism leaders in policy, business and practice
Founder and Lead Consultant, Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agenda
Principal Secretary, State Department for Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage, Kenya
Accounting & Administration Manager, Painted Wolves Limited
Mary Njoroge works as Accounting & Administration Manager at Painted Wolves Limited. Following previous roles within the accounting and administration sector in Kenya, Mary has risen through the ranks at Painted Wolves Limited. Mary was awarded for being the best candidate in the Certified Public Accountant exams. Mary shares her expertise and experience with other Kenyan women via a women empowerment group that supports young mothers who survived violence to continue their education.
Senior Lecturer, University of Ghana Business School (UGBS)
Sustainable Tourism expert and Professor of Tourism and International Development, University of Brighton (UK).
Professor Marina Novelli (PhD) is a globally renowned Sustainable Tourism expert and Professor of Tourism and International Development at the University of Brighton (UK). She is known for her contributions to the concept of Niche Tourism, Tourism and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa and critical elaboration of the Overtourism phenomenon. She is Fellow of the International Academy for the Study of Tourism and Alternate Member of the UNWTO World Committee on Tourism Ethics (2021-2025) and has written and advised in the field of international tourism policy, planning and development in Africa, Europe and Asia for institutions such as the World Bank, the EU, the UN, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, National Ministries and Tourism Boards, Regional Development Agencies, private sector and NGOs. She distinguishes herself for her inclusive leadership practice and excellence in collaborating with multi-disciplinary, multi-stakeholders and multi-cultural teams making her a preferred research partner and a particularly active member of the global tourism community.
Senior lecturer for Management, Business Leadership, and Entrepreneurship subjects in the Department of Tourism Management, Tshwane University of Technology
Portia Pearl Siyanda Sifolo has a wealth of experience and prodigious knowledge in the tourism sector. She is currently a senior lecturer for Management, Business Leadership, and Entrepreneurship subjects in the Department of Tourism Management at the Tshwane University of Technology. She is a Y2 National Research Foundation (NRF) rated researcher. She is a candidate in the 21/23 Future Professors Program by the Department of Higher Education & Training. Portia completed her Doctorate in Business Administration at the University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN) which focused on the nexus between supply chain management and stakeholder management for the balanced and optimal growth of the tourism sector. She has a passion for leadership in tourism and digitalisation within the tourism supply networks in the SADC region as economic development initiatives. Her scientific interests include digital procurement of tourism establishments in Africa. She has co-authored in different books, published research papers in academic journals, and participated in both domestic and international conferences.
Ph.D (Doctorate), Research Student, University of Brighton
Clive Allanso is a Doctoral candidate at the University of Brighton whose research is looking at developing a critical understanding of the “value of arts” beyond the commercial meaning of the term, and the role of art champions in the development of the creative sector SMEs (i.e. galleries, fairs, museums, studios) and value chain connection with the tourism sector in West-Africa. The study aims to identify innovative, socially responsible, sustainable and ethical pathways to contemporary arts and community-based tourism development and productivity in West-Africa.
Founding Member and Managing Director, Weeva and Executive Sustainability, Nianova, Oppenheimer Generations
Julie is a skilled sustainability consultant with experience spanning over 20 years. Her focus lies in sustainable development and business transformation.
Learnings over the course of her career led Julie to be part of the initial group of thought leaders who found Weeva – a SaaS platform that will enable the travel industry to adopt a measurable and holistic sustainability practice that goes beyond pledges and marketing ploys and recalibrates operations for improved performance and positive impact - in 2021. Weeva launched to market in January 2023.
Prior to this Julie advised a diverse range of clients on their sustainability journey, including the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, Wolwedans, The Long Run, National Geographic, Tswalu Kalahari, Fireblade Aviation, and Oppenheimer Generations. However, she has also worked on transformation and sustainability at well-known corporate institutions such as Standard Bank, Distell, BMGi, the National Australia Bank, and National Geographic.
Julie holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce (NMMU) coupled with a post-graduate certificate in Executive Development (GIBS), Six Sigma (Black Belt), and Program Management Certifications. She is a member of NOW Partners - a global partnership of over 100 senior business leaders united to accelerate the economic evolution of business for good.
Managing Director, African Association Management Company
CEO, Ecotourism Kenya
Edith Alusa-Bosire is currently the CEO of Ecotourism Kenya which promotes sustainable tourism practices in Kenya connecting communities, conservation and tourism. She is a co-founder and Advisory Board Member at EED Advisory Ltd, a consultancy providing solutions to challenges within the climate change, renewable energy and water management space.
For over 25 years, Edith has championed sustainable environmental management in development engineering, tourism, horticulture, climate change and energy spaces. She has served as a technical advisor with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) on the tourism component for the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement, and consulted as a tourism advisor to CBI Netherlands. Edith has served on several public and private sector boards and is currently a member of the Global Ecotourism Network (GEN) board and a member of the Africa experts of the UNESCO Building Innovation and learning in TVETS peer learning platform.
Journalist, Tourism and Conservation
Harriet Owalla is a Kenyan journalist who's been reporting on tourism and conservation for the past seven years. Her work has been published in various publications both local and international like the Skift, Afar, Fodor not to mention but a few. She has also featured on BBC Travel Kenya edition and the New York times talking on the same. On top of that, she has worked with various tourism boards like Magical Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Seychelles, Morocco, Zimbabwe to market their destinations.
Founder and former CEO, Tour2.0
Mr. Adidwa is a leader who is passionate about entrepreneurship and technology. He takes pleasure in channelling this passion through sourcing innovative solutions, that address current problems within the African continent and taking these solutions to market.
Daniel has attained his BA Degree in Integrated Marketing Communication and a Diploma in Account Management from the AAA School of Advertising, a certificate in Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies and A certificate in CS50 Computer Science from Harvard, and has completed a course in User Experience (Ultimate Guide to Usability and UX) from Udemy. He has worked for various communications agencies, where he worked on various local and international blue-chip accounts, consulted for various state and private companies, and is involved in other high impact projects.
He is passionate about the African continent, its people and the stories behind African communities. He believes that technology can play a large role in getting the world to experience real African communities. He has been a Vice-Chairman of the youth steering committee of the Regional Tourism Association of Southern Africa (RETOSA) and held the role of founder and former CEO of Tour2.0 (the leading provider of unique urban, cultural and community tourism experiences in South Africa). During tenure at Tour2.0, his team has managed to stimulate the cultural and community tourism sector within South Africa, by building a unique product base of over 70 unique urban, cultural and community tourism experiences, and was in the process of expanding to 5 territories on the African continent before the pandemic hit.
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Managing Director, Transnational Manpower Services Ltd
Senior Lecturer and Dean of School of Tourism and Hospitality, Strathmore University
David is an Ecologist, a Senior Lecturer and Dean of School of Tourism and Hospitality, Strathmore University. Holds a PhD in zoology (Conservation Ecology). His skills and expertise span teaching, research, conservation, public policy and sustainable development. He has experience in development, and evaluation of projects on biodiversity and ecosystem services, wildlife conservation and management, sustainable land use management, natural resource policy, climate change resilience and enhancing local livelihoods through conservation enterprise. He developed a training manual for green destination guidelines for Kenya under African Wildlife Foundation Project and trained conservancies in Southern and Northern Kenya on conservation and sustainability approaches. His aim is to promote biodiversity conservation while enhancing meaningful gains to local communities at tourism destinations and protected areas, and to mainstream conservation best practices in Kenyan tourism destinations. Research supervisor at Strathmore Business School for public policy and sustainability projects. A member of British Ecological Society, International Network for Next Generation Ecologists. A former EARTHWATCH and Tropical Biology Association fellow and current chair of International Foundation for Science (Kenya chapter).
Dr. Chiawo holds a PhD PhD in Zoology (Conservation). Rhodes University, MSc. (Ecology); Kenyatta University and Bachelor of Education Science (Second class Honours-Upper Division), Kenyatta University
Technical Assistance, The LongRun
CEO, Climate Friendly Club
Ged is the CEO of the new Climate Friendly Travel Club - a part of the SUNx Malta Community promoting Paris 1.5 and supporting tourism transformation as part of our “Plan For Our Kids” and the world’s poorest countries.
A highly regarded travel industry leader with over 20 years senior management experience, Ged has held senior positions with leading global travel organisations such as; Thomas Cook, Travel Weekly, MyTravel, TUI and Kuoni. He sat on the Executive Leadership Board at Routes Aviation Events for 10 years, during which time he pioneered and promoted the role of tourism authorities in the air service development process.
A passionate advocate of the advantages of tourism, Ged is dedicated to ensuring that there is a sustainable tourism offering for future generations which protects and nurtures destinations and their cultures. As such Ged is also the Founder & Chairman of Low Season Traveller; the world's first organisation completely dedicated to the promotion of travel during the non peak seasons and also is one of the Founding Directors on the Executive Board of The World Tourism Association of Culture and Heritage.
Additionally, Ged regularly writes articles for industry publications within the tourism sector and is an enthusiastic, knowledgeable and passionate speaker at several travel sector events throughout the year and is regularly called upon to commentate on travel industry issues of overtourism and responsible tourism in media interviews on radio and TV.
The Head of Research, Innovation & Business,Boma International Hospitality College.
Billy Wadongo is The Head of Research, Innovation & Business at Boma International Hospitality College. He holds a Ph.D. in performance management and evaluation from University of Bedfordshire, UK, M.Sc. (Hospitality management) and a B.Sc. (Hotel & Institution Management) from Maseno University, Kenya as well as a Diploma in Community Development and Project Planning & Management.
He previously worked a chair of academic department, Maseno University, research assistant at Lord Ashcroft
International Business School, Anglia Ruskin University, UK, and a graduate research assistant at Maseno University. During his career as he have delivered program leadership, teaching, and examination of Undergraduate/postgraduate courses.
He is an experienced TVET skills development expert & training consultant in strategic technical guidance on market-driven workforce development methodologies involving public and private sector partnerships through development and delivery of TVET Competency Based Education Training (CBET) curriculum, short courses, professional development programs (PDPs), Dual Vocational apprentice Approach (DVAA) programs, Recognition for Prior Learning (RPL) programs, blended learning programs, and masterclass programs. He is an experienced program and curriculum leader, curriculum developer and peer reviewer. In addition he has invaluable postgraduate dissertation supervision & examination.
Over the years, he has gained relevant and practical experience in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research designs, systematic literature reviews, data analysis, technical proposal writing and report writing. He has worked with private, public, and non-profit organisations as a researcher, and consultant in performance management, skills expert groups, innovation, documentation, capacity building, quality assurance project design, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. He has published 17 papers in refereed journals, co-authored two peer reviewed book and book chapters.
Senior Lecturer, Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology
Founder, Travel4Purpose
Sham created Travel4Purpose with a mission to provide positive impact travel experiences within Kenya.
A few years ago during her travels, she was introduced to the negative impact travel can have from the environmental harm to exploitation of locals and culture. She had to do something to spread awareness that travellers can live their best lives while creating a positive impact within the country they’re travelling, hence Travel4Purpose was born.
She strongly believes travel has the power to create change and joy for everyone involved if done mindfully and creating smiles for others and yourself is THE most treasured feeling.
