Tourism ambassador snub: ‘Unfazed’ Abeiku Santana attends Magical Kenya Travel Expo

Ace broadcaster, Gilbert Abeiku Aggery (Santana) has joined over 180 exhibitors, trade visitors, media and tourism professionals in Kenya to participate in this year’s Magical Kenya Travel Expo.

This comes after the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Catherine Ablema Afeku, had indicated that he is no more a national ambassador saying, his role as a tourism ambassador ended after a new list of ambassadors was drafted in consultation with industry stakeholders.

The Magical Kenya Travel Expo is said to be one of the biggest travel tourism exhibitions positioned in East Africa.

It is also said that the event has noticed some big changes after the Kenya Tourism Board appointed Global Exhibition Management Company to grow it for the next five years.

Among the expanded events scheduled for the expo includes a special session on the status of online bookings with guidance and advice on how to better sell online. Hosted groups, online travel apps such as TripAdvisor, Google and Expedia will take participants through the new innovative digital marketing with strong focus on creating a community within a the destination.

Commenting on his participation, Abeiku Santana said, “My goal for this travel expo is to learn how to better leverage the world's largest tourism communities, network with major industry players and navigate critical aspects of the tourism business.”

Abeiku has become one of the most recognized faces in destination marketing on the continent. His love for tourism took him to University of Cape Coast, Graduate School for a Master’s Degree in Tourism Management.