Airbnb Africa Travel Summit 2023

Tanya Cohen is a Comrades marathon runner and works with the Public Private Growth Initiative (PPGI), a South African sector based growth initiative that focuses on unblocking priority inhibitors and opportunities.

Velma Corcoran is Airbnb’s Regional Lead for Africa and the Middle East. She is responsible for Public Policy, Government Relations and Business Development.

Patricia de Lille was appointed as the Minister of Tourism by President Cyril Ramaphosa in March 2023. She is a seasoned politician and public servant having served in all three spheres of government since South Africa’s first democratic election in 1994.

Sthembiso Dlamini is currently CEO at the Gauteng Tourism Authority. Before joining the GTA, she was a COO at South Africa Tourism.

Bheki Dube is the founder and Group CEO of CURIOCITY Africa, a leading chain of hybrid hotels, hostels & travel experiences born out of South Africa.

Sofia Gkiousou is a senior policy leader and strategist. She concentrates on privacy, platforms and the web. Her background includes policy work in energy and travel as well as research in gaming.

Judy Gona is the founder and Executive Director at Sustainable Travel and Tourism Agenda (STTA). She possesses a Master's in Rural Sociology and Community Development with a focus on sustainable development of tourism.

Phakamile Hlazo is a seasoned strategist and hands-on operational lead. She has over seven years operational presence in the African travel market, and nine years in change management and digital transformation consulting in South Africa's banking and telecommunications sectors. She is chair of the South Africa Tourism Services Association Access, Inclusivity and Diversity board.

Juliette Langlais is Airbnb's Director of Public Policy for Europe, Middle East and Africa. She is a Public Policy and Government Affairs specialist with 15 years experience in Advocacy, Corporate Communications and Investors Relations.

Lizzy Litshani is an environmental educator. In addition to her role as Outreach Coordinator at Lapalala Wilderness School, Lizzy is an Experience Host on Airbnb, hosting a nature trail for guests to uncover the indigenous flora and fauna of the Lapalala Wilderness area. She graduated from the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy in 2022.

Melvyn Lubega is an experienced technology entrepreneur and investor who has built businesses that serve customers on multiple continents. Most notably he built and scaled Go1, a leading technology platform used by organisations and governments in over 30 countries.

Priza Mantsena is Mastercard’s Assistant General Counsel on Regulatory Affairs for the Eastern Europe Middle East and Africa region.

Abongile Mashile is currently the lead for Government Affairs and Policy for Google in SA. A graduate of the UCT and the Wits School of Government, Abongile has a keen interest in issues of public policy, particularly communications regulatory policy.

Nwabisa Mayema is an innovative serial entrepreneur, public speaker and consultant, who has dedicated her career to nurturing business leaders around the globe.

Anita Mendiratta is globally recognised and respected as an executive advisor, author, diplomat, and on-air personality in Tourism and Development. She runs London-based international consulting firm Anita Mendiratta & Associates.

Gwen Ngwenya is Head of Policy for Africa and the Middle East at Airbnb. She is a former Member of Parliament and former Head of Policy for the official opposition in South Africa.

Bankole Oluwafemi is the co-founder and a director at Nigerian digital media company Big Cabal Media, publishers of Techcabal and Zikoko. He currently supports marketing and editorial functions at Paystack.

Mhini Pato is founder and director of the after-school programme SakhisizweYDP in Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay in the Western Cape. In addition, she runs Pato Tours and is an Experience Host on Airbnb. She graduated from the Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy in 2017.

Andres Perez is the Co-Founder and Deputy Chairman of the FinTech Association of South Africa. An alumnus of the Naval Academy, Andres graduated with honors as a Second Lieutenant and holds a BCom in Business Management. He further specialized in fintech at Berkeley University, solidifying his expertise in the intersection of finance and technology.

Lethabo-Thabo Royds has worked in digital and Travel & Tourism for over a decade. She is currently Head of Content & Programme at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) where she leads content for the organisation focusing on its annual Global Summit, thought leadership, and consumer content.

Zozibini Tunzi made her debut as an actress in 2022 as part of the cast of the internationally acclaimed, The Woman King. As Miss Universe 2019 - 2020, Zozibini was known for redefining the beauty narrative on natural hair. A strong feminist and advocate for women and girls’ rights, Zozbini uses her platform to advocate for equal rights and works closely with the United Nations on their HeForShe Alliance to accelerate progress toward gender equality.

Tanya van Meelis is the Acting Deputy Director General for Transformation and Competition at the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic).

Winfred has over a decade of experience working in the humanitarian sector, with a particular focus on self-reliance programming. Winfred has worked with displaced populations in Kenya; both urban and camp-located refugees supporting the economic advancement of refugees and asylum seekers. Currently, she serves as the East African Program Manager for ORAM, coordinating Kenya and Uganda country programs.

Master of Ceremonies, plenary

Performer, plenary