African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality

What African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality does

African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality (AAWTH) is a nonprofit professional association founded in 2021 by Amaka Amatokwu-Ndekwu and Daphne Spencer, headquartered in Virginia, USA with a planned regional headquarters in Accra, Ghana. Its mission is to empower, promote, and develop women of African descent occupying roles across the tourism and hospitality value chain, spanning travel agents, tour operators, hoteliers, hospitality professionals, food and beverage operators, aviation, MICE, and students aged 18-32. The organization operates as a Pan-African community of female changemakers present in 17+ countries, including Botswana, DR Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe, plus diaspora markets in the USA, UK, and UAE.

AAWTH's core product is the Upskill Her Africa initiative, which bundles four programs: the High Impact Leadership Program (AHIP) for senior executives, the Student Development Program (ASDP), the Accelerator Program (AAP) for entrepreneurs, and the Lean on Me Mentoring & Coaching Program (LOM). The association monetizes primarily through a tiered annual subscription membership model: Individual ($100), Associate ($150), Corporate Individual ($250 for three executive members), Corporate ($350), and a free Student tier. Adjacent products include the Pyne Awards, Africa's first hospitality and tourism awards established in Nigeria. Marketing and member acquisition run through a community-led, event-driven GTM motion using LinkedIn, Instagram, the website aawth-africa.org, webinars, conferences, and partnerships with industry organizations.

Underlying technology is non-proprietary: a WordPress-based website with WooCommerce-style product pages for membership tiers, a basic login/registration portal, and standard social channels. No software, API, mobile app, or AI capabilities are disclosed. AAWTH has established strategic MOUs with the World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH), the Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA), and the Travel Industry Executive Women's Network (TIEWN), enabling cross-promotion, joint educational initiatives, and combined membership structures across multiple time zones.

Name

African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality

Legal name

African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality

Website

https://aawth-africa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

10,001+ employees

Short description

AAWTH is a nonprofit membership association founded in 2021 that empowers women of African descent in tourism and hospitality across 17+ countries through tiered memberships, the Upskill Her Africa leadership and mentorship initiative, and partnerships with global industry bodies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAJAKAD

International & Local Implementing NGOs

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Global Health & Development Agencies (NGOs/Multilaterals)

Keywords

• Professional association services
• Membership networking
• Hospitality industry advocacy
• Women leadership development
• Tourism sector empowerment

Headquarters

HQ city

Suffolk

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: AAWTH generates revenue through tiered membership fees including Individual ($100), Associate ($150), Corporate Individual ($250), Corporate ($350), and free Student memberships. The association also collects fees for the Upskill Her Africa mentorship/mentee programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

AAWTH is a membership-based professional association that serves African-descent women working in tourism and hospitality across Africa and the diaspora. It sells tiered annual memberships (Individual, Associate, Corporate Individual, Corporate, and Student) and runs the Upskill Her Africa initiative, which includes leadership development, student development, accelerator, and mentorship programs for industry professionals.

Product overview

AAWTH is a membership-based professional association that serves African-descent women in the tourism and hospitality industry. The organization offers a tiered membership structure (Individual, Associate, Corporate Individual, Corporate, and Student) providing access to networking, advocacy, mentorship, scholarships, education, and professional development resources. The flagship Upskill Her Africa Initiative encompasses four programs: the High Impact Leadership Program (AHIP) for senior executives, Student Development Program (ASDP) for students, Accelerator Program (AAP) for entrepreneurs, and Lean on Me Mentoring & Coaching Program (LOM) for young professionals. The association also organizes the Pyne Awards, Africa's first hospitality and tourism awards established in Nigeria.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Upskill Her Africa: A project initiative by AAWTH that aims to upskill women through leadership programs, mentorship, and professional development. Between 2022-2023 it aimed to empower 2500 women. Includes programs: AAWTH High Impact Leadership Program (AHIP), AAWTH Student Development Program (ASDP), AAWTH Accelerator Program (AAP), and Lean on Me Mentoring & Coaching Program.

Products and services

• Upskill Her Africa Initiative A flagship empowerment initiative offering multiple tracks including AAWTH High Impact Leadership Program (AHIP), AAWTH Student Development Program (ASDP), AAWTH Accelerator Program (AAP), and Lean on Me Mentoring & Coaching Program for women in tourism and hospitality.
• Individual Membership Basic annual membership tier at $100 for individual tourism and hospitality professionals including travel agents, tour operators, education practitioners, hospitality professionals, hoteliers, and food & beverage professionals.
• Associate Membership Annual membership tier at $150 for service providers, vendors, industry partners, and allied industries supporting the tourism and hospitality sector.
• Corporate Individual Membership Annual membership tier at $250 for organizations represented by 3 executive members.
• Corporate Membership Annual membership tier at $350 for associations, hospitality, travel, and tourism organizations.
• Student Membership Free annual membership tier for students aged 18-32 in high schools, colleges, and universities pursuing hospitality and tourism studies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Upskill Her Africa initiative aims to empower 2500 women between 2022-2023
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 July 2022BLLA, a global organization for verified boutique hotels and lifestyle leaders, partnered with AAWTH to cross-promote diverse leadership and companies, coordinate joint programs including virtual conferences, educational initiatives, joint membership structures, trend reports, and studies across multiple time zones.
• Travel Industry Executive Women's Network (TIEWN)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 July 2022TIEWN, a global organization for travel, tourism, and hospitality executives, partnered with AAWTH to support women and diversity in the industry. The partnership includes joint programs, educational initiatives, and a combined membership structure to advance women in leadership roles globally.
• World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2022WTACH and AAWTH signed an MOU to implement training and advance their complementary agendas. The partnership focuses on training, upskilling, and empowerment of African women in the tourism sector, with both organizations working toward an inclusive future for Africa's tourism industry including setting basic professional standards.
• African Food NetworkminorOthersAAWTH endorsed the African Food Network based on the brand's commitment to promotion of African food culture and development of African Culinary Tourism through initiatives such as the recurrent African Food and Drinks Festival held in various parts of the continent.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO): United Nations specialized agency for tourism responsible for promoting sustainable and accessible tourism globally. Comparable as the highest-level incumbent in tourism policy and standards, against which AAWTH positions its advocacy mission.
• World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC): Global industry council representing the travel and tourism private sector to governments and international bodies. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating in the same tourism policy and advocacy space AAWTH seeks to influence.

Regional players

• African Travel Association (ATA): Africa-focused travel industry association promoting tourism across the continent. Comparable as a regional membership body for tourism professionals, though broader in scope than AAWTH's women-only focus.

Direct peers

• Women in Travel CIC: UK-based social enterprise supporting women across the travel and tourism industry through mentoring, events, and professional development. Directly comparable as a women-focused travel industry community with similar programming model.
• Travel Industry Executive Women's Network (TIEWN): Global organization for travel, tourism, and hospitality executives, and a core partner of AAWTH since 2022. Directly comparable as a women-focused professional network in the travel and tourism industry.
• The Castell Project: US-based nonprofit focused on advancing women into senior leadership in the hospitality industry. Comparable as a women-in-hospitality leadership pipeline organization with similar professional development and mentorship programming.
• Women in Hospitality Nigeria (WIHN): Nigeria-based association for women in hospitality, founded by AAWTH co-founder Amaka Amatokwu-Ndekwu. Directly comparable as a sister organization targeting women in the same industry and geography, with overlapping leadership.
• World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage (WTACH): Strategic partner under formal MOU with AAWTH focused on training, upskilling, and empowerment in tourism. Comparable as a global membership-driven tourism association with overlapping standards-setting and advocacy agendas.
• Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA): Global organization for verified boutique hotels and lifestyle leaders, and a core partner of AAWTH since 2022. Comparable as a membership-based hospitality industry association offering networking, education, and advocacy.

Others

• Hospitality Net: Global hospitality industry news, information, and networking platform serving hoteliers and hospitality professionals. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler reaching the same professional audience AAWTH serves through content and community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/african-association-of-women-in-tourism-and-hospitality
• Instagraminstagram.com/aawthorg?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles22 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality