Samson Deen, CEO, Africa Origin
The exploits of African Origin Travels and Sports Tourism have gained international recognition.
Consequently, International Sports Travel Agencies Association (ISTAA), a high-profile consortium, has recently approved African Origin, London 2012 Official Ticket Reseller (OTR), as an active member.
As an active member of the 39-member body, the Ghanaian firm can vote and be voted for during congresses. Another new member, an Irish sports travel firm, Champion Travel, has also been approved, but as an associate member; suggesting it cannot vote and be voted for.
The Chief Executive Officer of African Origin, Samson Deen, has described the international approval as recognition of hard work on the continent and beyond.
“We at African Origin consider this as an honour, and it will urge us on to aspire for greater heights. We have rolled out strategies to redefine sports tourism. We want to take it a step further than what has been the practice over the years,” he said in an interview.
All five members of the ISTAA Board of Directors- Snezana Malusevic, Zbigniew Wróbel, David Segel, Ori Barak, Andrew Sullivan, and secretary general Barbara Dziedzic– met in Frankfurt, Germany on May 14, 2012. During the four- hour meeting, the board discussed several issues.
ISTAA was created in June 2009 as a partnership of Sports Travel Agencies worldwide. ISTAA members meet once a year and hold an annual general meeting in conjunction with an annual conference at the location of one of the members. The conference is the largest annual reunion of members: sports travel bureaus, organizations, event management firms, and other industry professionals. The programme for delegates includes Sports Travel Agencies Exchange Workshops and presentations of sports events representatives.
African Origin has carved a niche for itself over the years with a track record of successful travel arrangements for travelers, especially the sporting populace.
Meanwhile, the 4th annual conference has been scheduled for Barcelona on November 26.
By Kofi Owusu Aduonum
