Association of Black Travel Professionals Hosts FAM Trip to South Africa

ATLANTA – The Association of Black Travel Professionals hosted 20 agents on a FAM trip to South Africa from January 21-30, sponsored by Tourist Board of South Africa. FAM, which was one of the many benefits offered to ABTP members, was intended to help agents learn more about their destination and build relationships with key suppliers in South Africa.

Site Tours

The group visited Cape Town and Johannesburg and, as part of the expedition, took a private tour of the city by bus, visited a winery and a wildlife safari. During the trip, they also visited two lodges and three hotels.

One of the highlights of FAM was a visit to Lelapa Home Restaurant hosted by our partner Roots Africa,” said ABTP co-founder Shonta Harrison. During lunch at Lelapa, attendees were treated to home-cooked food from 91-year-old owner and chef Sheila, affectionately nicknamed “Mom.”

“We love that we were able to partner with this DMC that delivers this exciting and unique experience. We also enjoyed the local drum club and drumming lesson after the meal,” said Harrison. “This is a one-of-a-kind experience that our agents can provide to their clients.”

table mountain

The agents also arranged a safari, a popular excursion among visitors to South Africa. During the safari, they were able to see four of the “Big Five” animals in their natural habitat. They also had the opportunity to visit Table Mountain, one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

South Africa has a rich and often turbulent history, the most significant events of which are associated with the apartheid system of racial segregation that existed from the 1940s until the late 1990s. This time was a period of civil unrest in major cities such as Johannesburg and Soweto and is a defining milestone in South African history.

Visiting Robben Island

During FAM, agents visited Robben Island, the prison complex where the activist Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his 27-year sentence and met an ex-prisoner and activist who now works in a prison-turned-museum.

The agents also met with the sister of Hector Peterson, a 12-year-old protester-turned-martyr who was killed in 1976 when police opened fire on black students protesting the introduction of teaching in Afrikaans, the language mostly spoken by the white population of the South. Africa. The students wanted to study in their native Xhosa and Zulu languages. A photo of a classmate carrying Hector’s body after the attack went around the world and drew attention to the riots in Soweto.

The South African Tourism Board is one of the few official partners of the ABTP and has also hosted virtual information sessions for ABTP members.

Black Travel Professionals Association

Founded in 2020, the organization aims to provide education and networking opportunities for black travel professionals that have historically been ignored in the travel industry. ABTP regularly provides training, offers professional development and coaching, and will host its third annual Beyond Travel Summit and Conference from November 30 to December 3 in Las Vegas.

To learn more about ABTP or join, visit them online at www.abtprofessionals.org