Creative Industry

Gambia Tourism Minister Leads Major Delegation to Akwaaba 2026

Published

2 months ago

August 28, 2026

Joel Ajayi

The 2026 Akwaaba Travel Trade Expo is set to provide a major platform for The Gambia to showcase its tourism potential, strengthen business relationships and deepen its footprint in Nigeria and the wider African travel market.

The Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) will participate in the 2026 edition of the Akwaaba Travel Market, scheduled for September 13–15, 2026, in Lagos, bringing together key players from across Africa’s tourism, travel and aviation industries.

As part of its participation, Team Gambia will host a Destination Gambia Promotional Cocktail Reception on September 12, ahead of the main expo. The event will bring together travel agencies, tour operators, airlines and aviation stakeholders, logistics companies, investors and other tourism industry professionals.

The reception is expected to provide a strategic business platform for The Gambia to engage directly with the African travel trade, promote its tourism products and experiences, and explore opportunities for partnerships, investment and increased visitor traffic.

Leading the Gambian delegation is the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Honourable Abdoulie Jobe, accompanied by Deputy Permanent Secretary Mrs. Amie Njie; Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gambia Tourism Board, Mr. Momodou Bamba Saho; and Director General of the Gambia Tourism Board, Mrs. Ida Jeng Njie, alongside tourism stakeholders from The Gambia.

A major focus of The Gambia’s participation at Akwaaba 2026 will be the promotion of the country as an emerging Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) destination in Africa.

With the continent experiencing growing demand for business events, conferences, exhibitions and corporate gatherings, The Gambia is seeking to leverage Akwaaba’s extensive network of travel professionals and industry decision-makers to promote its potential beyond traditional leisure tourism.

The country will use the platform to highlight its facilities, hospitality infrastructure and opportunities for hosting conferences, corporate events and other business-related gatherings. The MICE focus is also expected to create opportunities for closer collaboration between Gambian tourism operators and their Nigerian and regional counterparts, while encouraging greater business travel between the two countries.

Akwaaba Travel Market as the only travel expo in West Africa has become an important meeting point for tourism and travel professionals across Africa and international markets, providing a platform for destinations, airlines, tour operators, hotels, travel agencies and other industry stakeholders to develop commercial relationships.

For The Gambia, participation in the 2026 edition represents an opportunity to increase destination visibility in Nigeria, one of West Africa’s major travel markets, while strengthening ties with the broader regional tourism industry.

The GTBoard sees the event as part of its broader destination marketing strategy aimed at diversifying tourism markets, developing new trade partnerships and creating opportunities for the Gambian private sector.

Through its presence at Akwaaba 2026, The Gambia is expected to use Africa’s leading travel trade gathering to position itself as not only a leisure destination, but also a competitive hub for business tourism, investment, events and regional travel.

The participation underscores the growing importance of intra-African tourism and the need for stronger partnerships among destinations, travel businesses and aviation stakeholders across the continent.

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Creative Industry

Emirates Holidays Unveils Thailand Pass with Up to 40% Savings

Published

1 week ago

October 14, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Emirates Holidays has introduced the Thailand Pass, offering travellers exclusive discounts and complimentary benefits across shopping, dining, leisure and tourist attractions in Thailand.

The initiative provides Emirates Holidays customers travelling to Thailand with savings of up to 40 per cent, with no minimum spending requirement, alongside special offers designed to enhance their holiday experience.

Under the programme, customers can redeem shopping and dining vouchers at 14 participating malls across Bangkok, Phuket, Koh Samui, Pattaya, Krabi and Chiang Mai. To access the benefits, travellers are required to present their vouchers and a copy of their passports at participating outlets to collect their Welcome Packages.

The Thailand Pass also includes complimentary shuttle services between centralwOrld and Central Village Bangkok, as well as free VIP lounge access at both locations.

Beyond shopping and dining, customers can enjoy Buy One, Get One Free offers on selected attractions and experiences across Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Krabi. Participating brands include Playsquare Laser Tag, Playmondo, Swensen’s, Auntie Anne’s, Aquaria Phuket, OTO Playpark and Monowheel.

The package also offers an additional five per cent discount on Karmakamet wellness products.

The launch comes as Thailand continues to attract Emirates Holidays customers, with bookings increasing by 10 per cent year-on-year, according to the company.

The initiative further strengthens Emirates’ presence in the Southeast Asian destination. The airline recently deployed its Airbus A350 aircraft to Phuket and currently operates retrofitted Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft featuring Premium Economy cabins on services to Bangkok.

Emirates operates 49 weekly flights to Thailand, reflecting sustained demand for the destination and supporting the introduction of additional holiday benefits.

The Thailand Pass applies to eligible package bookings made until March 31, 2027. Customers can secure their holidays with a deposit and benefit from a flexible cancellation policy, providing additional time to arrange visas where necessary or make changes to their travel plans.

The offer is available to Emirates Holidays customers booking from selected markets, including Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, the United Kingdom’s neighbouring European markets and other participating countries.

Further information, including eligibility requirements and terms and conditions, is available at Emirates Holidays Thailand.

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