Labadi Beach Hotel has used WTM Africa as a strategic platform to deepen market engagement, strengthen buyer relationships and position itself more strongly within Africa’s growing leisure and business travel ecosystem.

Speaking at the event, George Ayisi, Head of Sales at Labadi Beach Hotel, said the decision to participate in WTM Africa was informed by the hotel’s recent experience in European markets and the need to build closer ties within Africa.

“We started by looking into the European market and attended ITB in 2023 and 2024. The impact we got there was very positive, and that informed our decision to be part of WTM Africa,” Ayisi explained. “We realised that we also needed to come closer to the African market, especially South Africa, which is one of our key source markets as a hotel.”

Two days into the event, Ayisi described business at WTM Africa as highly productive, driven by strong conversations, networking opportunities and renewed interest from potential buyers.

“It’s been wonderful in terms of the quality of conversations we’ve had and the level of interest from potential clients,” he said. “The government’s announcement on visa-free travel is also a big boost, especially for intra-African travel. It makes movement easier and opens up more opportunities for business.”

Ayisi noted that the presence and coordination of the Ghana Tourism Authority played a critical role in ensuring Ghana’s visibility and professionalism at the trade show.

“GTA has been very supportive. Year after year, you can see improvements in how Ghana is branded and presented on the international stage,” he said. “From registration to stand design and overall coordination, Ghana stands out clearly. It sends the right message to the international market.”

However, he believes Ghana’s participation at major trade platforms can be significantly strengthened with broader industry involvement.

“We need to widen the conversation back home and bring more hotels, DMCs and tour operators on board,” Ayisi said. “If you look at destinations like Botswana and Namibia, their stands are massive and well supported. Competition is good – it makes us stronger as an industry.”

On Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE), Ayisi acknowledged Ghana’s potential but stressed the urgent need for purpose-built infrastructure.

“We are on the right path, but there is still a lot more to do,” he said. “When you look at facilities like the Cape Town convention centre or what exists in Berlin, it is clear that Ghana needs serious investment in large-scale convention infrastructure.”

He added that collaboration between government and the private sector, particularly within the context of African Continental Free Trade Area, could accelerate Ghana’s emergence as a competitive MICE destination.

As for Labadi Beach Hotel’s role, Ayisi was clear. “MICE is central to who we are. We cater for leisure, business and large-scale events, and we have hosted many of Ghana’s major conferences,” he said. “Our focus is to continue leading the conversation and working with partners to grow the MICE business.”

As WTM Africa draws to a close, Labadi Beach Hotel leaves Cape Town with renewed confidence, stronger networks and a clear focus on converting trade engagement into sustained business growth for Ghana’s tourism industry.