Speaker: Judy Kepher Gona, Founder and Executive Director, Sustainable Travel and Tourism Africa The presentation by Judy Kepher Gona addressed a crucial evolution in the field of sustainable tourism, the need to shift from the widely used concept of “best practices” to a more grounded and impactful approach, “valuable practices.” Judy made a compelling case...
Facilitator: Samantha Smits, Founder, Smits SusTour Consultancy The presentation by Samantha Smits focused on the importance of moving beyond mere compliance in sustainability reporting towards creating impactful narratives that foster trust. In her address, Samantha pointed out that many organizations struggle with sustainability reporting due to a range of challenges that include the overwhelming number...
Speaker: Valencia Dantzler, CEO, Limitless Living The presentation by Valencia Dantzler focused on effective digital branding strategies aimed at attracting conscious travelers and the global Black diaspora to African destinations. She identified YouTube as the primary research platform for this demographic, alongside others like Essence Magazine, podcasts, and various social media platforms that influence travel...
Speaker: Charlotte Beauvoisin, Founder and Chief Creator, Diary of a Muzungu | East Africa Travel Blog & Podcast The presentation by Charlotte focused on the crucial themes of digital sustainability, the digital carbon footprint, and the intersection of conscious travel and digital branding. She highlighted the environmental impact of digital technologies, pointing to the carbon...
Speaker: Dimitri Syriss, Founder, BaoTree Dimitri Syriss’s keynote presentation emphasized the critical role that data plays in building trust and driving meaningful action in sustainability. He pointed out a growing disconnect between what organizations claim in terms of sustainability and the actual evidence to back it up, coining terms such as “greenwashing” and “green hashing”...
Panelists: Amb. Paul Mukumbya, Hon. Michael Mutua, Mr. Atti Pye Moderator: Ms. Christine Olanga The panel discussion centered on advancing destination competitiveness through strategic collaboration, with sustainability emerging as a central theme across all dimensions of tourism. Panelists emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach to sustainable seafood sourcing, starting with leadership commitment and the...
Speaker: Atti Pye, Wakijani Consultants Atti Pye’s presentation offered an insightful overview of sustainability efforts in Kwale County, emphasizing the region’s heavy reliance on tourism, which accounts for approximately 70% of its income, and its rich biodiversity. He highlighted a growing interest in eco-certification across the coastal hospitality sector, noting that six out of thirteen...
Amb. Paul Mukumbya, Uganda Consulate in Mombasa Ambassador Paul Mukumbya of the Uganda Consulate in Mombasa emphasized a paradigm shift from traditional political diplomacy to economic and promotional diplomacy, with a strategic focus on tourism, trade, and investment. He underscored the growing importance of digital communication tools in driving this new approach. A key initiative...
Speaker: Hon. Michael Mutua, CECM, Department of Tourism, Trade, and Enterprise Development, County Government of Kwale Michael Mutua, the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for the Department of Tourism, Trade, and Enterprise Development, County Government of Kwale, highlighted the county’s commitment to promoting sustainable tourism through a collaborative and community-centered approach. He noted that Kwale...
The 10th edition of the Sustainable Tourism Africa Summit (STAS) was held on 8–9 May 2025 at the Diamonds Leisure and Golf Resort, Diani, bringing together policymakers, private sector leaders, academia, civil society, and youth from across the continent and beyond. Themed “Making Sense and Cents of Sustainability: Building Sustainable Brands,” the Summit provided a...
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