Akwaaba: African Travel Market

What Akwaaba: African Travel Market does

Akwaaba: African Travel Market is a privately held event-management company that organizes an annual international travel, tourism, and hospitality exhibition in Lagos, Nigeria, founded in 2004 with its first event held in 2005. The company operates a single unified annual expo held at Eko Hotels & Suites, attended by over 3,000 delegates and featuring 30+ speakers, and is officially endorsed by the Nigerian government as the designated travel event in Lagos State. The platform wraps six specialized co-located sub-brands: CHINET AviaCargo (air cargo), Wonders of Nigeria Expo (domestic tourism), African Youth Tourism Bantaba, African Medical Tourism Expo, JollofRice War (culinary), and the Africa Travel 100 Award program.

The core product is the annual AFTM exhibition; the underlying technology is minimal — there is no proprietary software platform, AI capability, or mobile application referenced, and the digital footprint consists of a WordPress-style marketing website, email contact channel, and social/content marketing. Revenue is generated primarily through exhibitor fees (one-time license per event cycle) and Platinum/core sponsor partnerships with airlines, telecoms, online travel agencies, tourism boards, and hospitality brands including MTN, Wakanow, Air Peace, Ethiopian Airlines, British Airways, Royal Caribbean, Eko Hotels & Suites, Dubai Tourism, and Turkey's Tourism Board. The GTM motion is event-driven and relationship-driven, with segmentation along travel/tourism businesses, investors, government decision-makers, and industry buyers. The company operates with a lean team of 7 employees, indicating significant outsourcing of on-site logistics, production, and sales.

Name

Akwaaba: African Travel Market

Legal name

Akwaaba African Travel Market

Website

https://africantravelmarkets.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Akwaaba: African Travel Market organizes the annual international travel, tourism, and hospitality expo in Lagos, Nigeria, serving airlines, tour operators, tourism boards, investors, and government decision-makers across West Africa and beyond.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Trade Events and Exhibitions

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Transportation, Logistics & Mobility Shows Organizers (THAHABAL), General Consumer Expos & Trade Shows (MPAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Travel trade exhibitions
• Tourism expos
• Hospitality events
• Air cargo conferences
• Medical tourism fairs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lagos

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Exhibitor Fees: Revenue generated from exhibitors who pay to showcase their travel, tourism and hospitality products and services at the annual Akwaaba African Travel Market expo.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Akwaaba African Travel Market (AFTM) is an annual international travel, tourism and hospitality exhibition held in Lagos, Nigeria since 2005. It serves as a B2B trade expo for exhibitors and sponsors (airlines, hotels, tour operators, tourism boards) to showcase products and services to over 3,000 delegates and features over 30 speakers. The event includes specialized sub-segments such as CHINET AviaCargo (air cargo), Wonders of Nigeria Expo (domestic tourism), African Youth Tourism Bantaba, African Medical Tourism Expo, and the JollofRice War competition, along with the Africa Travel 100 Award program.

Product overview

Akwaaba African Travel Market is a single unified event product (an annual international travel, tourism and hospitality exhibition) organized in Lagos, Nigeria since 2005. The core product consists of the main AFTM exhibition supplemented by several specialized sub-events: CHINET AviaCargo (air cargo), WONDERS OF NIGERIA EXPO (domestic tourism), African Youth Tourism (youth engagement), African Medical Tourism Expo (medical tourism), JollofRice WAR (culinary), and the AFRICA TRAVEL 100 Award (recognition program).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 6th CHINET AviaCargo: The only Air Cargo Event in West Africa
• 12th Wonders of Nigeria Expo
• 10th African Youth Tourism
• 6th African Medical Tourism Expo
• 9th JollofRice WAR
• African Travel 100 Award

Products and services

• Akwaaba African Travel Market (AFTM) Annual Exhibition The main annual international travel, tourism and hospitality exhibition held in Lagos, Nigeria, serving businesses, investors, government decision-makers and buyers in the industry. Attracts over 3,000 delegates and 30+ speakers each year.
• CHINET AviaCargo The only air cargo event in West Africa, now in its 6th edition, focused on aviation cargo logistics and connectivity across the region.
• Wonders of Nigeria Expo The biggest domestic tourism expo in Nigeria, now in its 12th edition, showcasing Nigeria's tourism offerings and domestic destinations.
• African Youth Tourism Bantaba Youth tourism segment of Akwaaba Travel Market, focused on engaging young people in Africa's tourism sector through the Bantaba forum.
• African Medical Tourism Expo Medical tourism expo highlighting Nigeria as a global destination for affordable medical tourism, attracting patients from the UK, US, and Canada. Now in its 6th edition.
• Africa Travel 100 Award Annual award program recognizing excellence in African travel and tourism, with nominations open for the 2026 edition.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3000+ delegates attend annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

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

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MTNcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMTN is a Platinum Partner of Akwaaba African Travel Market. MTN Nigeria Communications PLC is a multinational mobile telecommunications company and a major sponsor of the event.
• WakanowcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWakanow is a Platinum Partner of Akwaaba African Travel Market. Wakanow is a leading Nigerian online travel agency.
• The Gambia Tourism BoardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Gambia Tourism Board is a Platinum Partner, promoting Gambia as a tourism destination at the Akwaaba expo.
• Air PeacecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAir Peace is a Partner airline of Akwaaba African Travel Market, providing air travel connectivity for delegates.
• Ethiopian AirlinescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEthiopian Airlines is an official airline partner and sponsor, facilitating international travel to the event.
• Eko Hotels & SuitescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEko Hotels & Suites is the official venue partner hosting the Akwaaba event. Listed as both sponsor and venue provider.
• Royal CaribbeanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRoyal Caribbean is a sponsor of Akwaaba African Travel Market, promoting cruise tourism offerings.
• British AirwaysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBritish Airways is a sponsor supporting the Akwaaba event.
• FAAN (Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFAAN is a government agency partner supporting the event.
• Uganda Tourism BoardminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUganda Tourism Board is a partner promoting Uganda as a tourism destination.
• Dubai TourismcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDubai is a Platinum Partner, promoting Dubai as a tourism destination at the event.
• Turkey (Tourism Board)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTurkey is a Platinum Partner showcasing Turkish tourism offerings.
• South African AirwaysminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSouth African Airways is a sponsor and airline partner.
• GTA (Ghana Tourism Authority)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGhana Tourism Authority is a partner promoting Ghanaian tourism.
• ASKY AirlinesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerASKY Airlines is a West African airline partner that announced plans for new destinations at the 21st Akwaaba.
• Destination Connect KenyaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDestination Connect Kenya participated in the 21st Akwaaba and showcased multi-country tour packages for Africa.
• Soin Africa SafarisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSoin Africa Safaris from Kenya participated in the 21st Akwaaba and announced expansion plans across Africa.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FITUR Madrid: Major annual international tourism trade fair held in Madrid under IFEMA. Directly comparable as a long-running industry-specific B2B travel expo that mixes trade days with consumer-focused content, similar to Akwaaba's mix of B2B networking and public-facing elements.
• Arabian Travel Market (ATM): Leading international travel trade event for the Middle East, held in Dubai and run by RX. Closely mirrors Akwaaba's model (regional B2B travel trade expo endorsed by a major destination), and notably Dubai Tourism is already an Akwaaba partner, underlining the cross-regional parallel.
• IBTM World: Global flagship exhibition for the MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) industry, run by RX. Comparable to Akwaaba as a B2B trade show within the broader travel & events industry with exhibitor fees as the primary revenue stream.
• World Travel Market Africa (WTM Africa): Africa-focused edition of the WTM portfolio, held in Cape Town. Most direct continental comparison to Akwaaba as a B2B African travel trade show; represents the largest competitive benchmark for in-bound and intra-African travel trade in Africa.
• ITB Berlin: World's largest B2B travel trade show held annually in Berlin. Directly comparable to Akwaaba as an international B2B tourism expo that connects exhibitors (national tourism boards, airlines, hotels, OTAs) with buyers, but operating at much greater scale and global reach.
• World Travel Market London (WTM London): Flagship global B2B travel trade event run by RX (Reed Exhibitions). Comparable to Akwaaba as an industry-specific B2B trade show serving exhibitor fees plus delegate revenue across the travel & tourism industry.

Regional players

• SATTE (South Asia Travel Trade Exchange): India's leading B2B travel trade exhibition and one of the largest travel trade shows in Asia. Comparable format and audience (exhibitors, travel trade buyers, government tourism bodies) but operates in a different geography than Akwaaba.
• Magical Kenya Tourism Expo: Kenya's flagship B2B travel trade expo. Comparable event format and East African positioning; operates in a different region than Akwaaba but competes for the same pool of international destination exhibitors on the continent.
• INDABA (South African Tourism): Premier African travel trade show held annually in Durban, run with South African Tourism backing. Directly comparable as a long-running African B2B travel expo but focused on Southern Africa rather than West Africa, so not a head-to-head rival.

Emerging players

• ILTM Africa: Luxury-focused B2B travel trade event held in Africa as part of the ILTM/Reed portfolio. Overlaps with Akwaaba's high-end travel buyer base and shares key exhibitors (e.g., Royal Caribbean already partners with Akwaaba), representing a niche adjacent event.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/akwaaba-travel-market

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Akwaaba: African Travel Market