History of APTA

The beginning of the Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa ... affectionately known as APTA, is for many like the

Courtesy of Above and Beyond Africa

story of African elders, handed down from generation to generation.  Like any oral story, some faces are clear, some are blurred and others have been lost to memory, but the story is told.

The story is said to have begun in 1980 during an ATA (African Travel Association) meeting in downtown Los Angeles. At the meeting, ATA announced its intention to exclude the Republic of South Africa from its organization due to apartheid. Members were incensed and a walkout of the meeting occurred.

This core group of travel professionals held the high ideal that in our industry the political aspect of a country should not be a factor to stop tourism. These same people and their followers became our founding members. These are our Elders. They describe how the Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA) was formed in Los Angeles as a non-political, educational, organization whose focus is promoting tourism to the full continent of Africa without political prejudices.

The Elders named the first chapter, Los Angeles, after the city where it was created. Monthly meetings were held and an informative Africa Educational Manual written. The Elder’s ideals were embraced and enthusiasm for the organization prompted the need for expansion.

The Elders then created the Orange County Chapter followed by the San Diego Chapter. Not long after there were chapters in Chicago, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle, and Dallas. The enthusiasm amongst travel professionals has not ceased and in the new millennium APTA has continued to grow with chapters in Miami, New York City, Boston and the newest chapters in Atlanta, Twin Cities, Houston and Arizona. Our newest chapter is Sacramento Valley, California.

Since 1980 APTA has provided the travel community with exceptional bi-monthly educational programs, quarterly APTA News, annual Discover Africa trade shows, familiarization trips, all orchestrated in partnership with our African suppliers.

Since 1980 APTA has provided the travel community with exceptional bi-monthly educational programs, quarterly APTA News, annual Discover Africa trade shows, familiarization trips, all orchestrated in partnership with our African suppliers.   At our forum in 2000 we embraced Africa as the Continent of Africa and its Islands.

Growing in scope, APTA Chapters have become increasingly involved in local and global African projects that include contributions and support of goods, funds and services to orphanages, schools, anti-poaching operations and community development projects. These activities increase our partnership with the African continent and islands.

As APTA thrives in the 21st Century, we continue to grow in many areas and are now recognized internationally as a respected and honorable association with a devotion to our Mission Statement and as an interactive resource for our colleagues and clients who share the feeling for Africa.
 

Chapters
1980 Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego (CA)
1988 Rocky Mountain (Denver)
1993 Northern California (San Francisco Bay Area)
1994 Midwest (Chicago)
1997 Pacific Northwest (Seattle)
1997 Dallas (TX)
2001 Florida (Miami)
2002 New York (NYC)
2002 New England (Boston)
2003 Atlanta
2004 Twin-Cities (Minneapolis)
2004 Houston
2004 Arizona (Phoenix-Scottsdale)
2004 Sacramento Valley
2005 Twin Cities incorporated into the Midwest Chapter

National Forum Hosts
1995 Northern California
1996 Rocky Mountain
1997 Midwest
1998 San Diego
1999 Dallas
2000 Pacific Northwest
2001 Midwest
2002 Los Angeles
2003 Rocky Mountain
2004 New York
2005 Florida
2006 Dallas

Executive Directors
Current Nancy Decker-Davidson
2003-2005 Naydine Booth
2002-2003 Beth Lincoln
1999-2002 Bonnie Fogg
1997-1999 Al Tyrcha
1994-1997 Doris Reimers
1992-1994 Terry Myers (first Executive Director)

APTA's Founding Members circa 1980
Tony Da Costa
Jim Duffin
Chuck Drescher
Philip Graham-Bell
Alana Hayden-Greenberg
Judie Parr
Ralph Rafik
Larry Schneider
Eve Senn
Nick Stathakis
Lou Wolhuter