APTA will seek to improve tourism to Africa through the education of its members. The Association for the Promotion of Tourism to Africa (APTA) was formed in 1980 with the objective of providing educational platforms for the travel trade in North America, whom specialize in selling Africa or have interest in growing their Africa business. Since 1980 APTA, as one of the leading trade organizations in North America specializing in promoting tourism to Africa, has provided the travel community with exceptional educational programs, weekly APTA News, educational study trips and participation in travel industry all orchestrated in partnership with our African suppliers. APTA is a non-profit, volunteer, B-2-B association of travel professionals on a mission to promote Africa and her islands as tourist destinations to the retail travel agents and tour operators in North America. APTA’s memberships includes of over 250 active travel agent and tour operator members and over 75 corporate members, representing hotel, safari lodges, destination management companies, airlines and tourism organizations across the African continent. APTA organizational structure comprises of a national executive board and local chapters throughout the U.S., which are geographically located in the Northeast (New York), Florida, Midwest (Chicago), Rocky Mountain (Denver), San Diego, Sacramento and Orange County (California). In 2019, APTA established a virtual chapter to encourage new membership of African specialists that are not located in the vicinity of the local chapters, which affords members the same value of networking and educational opportunities as members of the local chapters. Growing in scope, APTA chapters have become increasingly involved in local and global African projects that include social responsibility contributions and support of goods, funds and services to orphanages, schools, anti-poaching operations, sustainability and community development projects throughout the African continent.
