Abeiku Santana named on elite list of Africa’s travel influencers

Mr. Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey Santana, popularly known as Abeiku Santana, has achieved a milestone in tourism after being named among the Top Africa Travel 100 Global Leaders for 2024.

At a glamorous awards ceremony held at the Eko Hotels Convention Centre in Lagos, Nigeria, Abeiku Santana, the Managing Director of Kaya Tours, was honoured for his unwavering commitment to promoting tourism, not only in Ghana but across continents.

Presented by the Akwaaba African Travel Market, the *Top Africa Travel 100 Global Leaders* initiative recognises individuals across Africa who have made notable contributions to the tourism industry.

After receiving the accolade, Abeiku Santana, often referred to as "Mr. Tourism," expressed his excitement at the recognition and reaffirmed his dedication to promoting African tourism, which he described as the backbone of many economies.

"Having served the tourism industry for more than two decades, this year has been particularly exciting for me, especially with the progress seen in the tourism industry across the continent.

"I have spearheaded many tourism initiatives around the world, and I feel deeply honoured to be named as one of Africa's top tourism experts," he said.

In 2024, the accomplished radio and TV broadcaster has been invited to participate in several tourism conferences across Africa, including the Africa Tourism Leadership Forum in Namibia and the 8th Swahili International Tourism Expo in Tanzania.

He has also collaborated with Experiential Travel Africa to organise a successful inbound tour for the African American community.

In Ghana, Abeiku Santana played a key role in the launch of the Association of Tourist Attractions and Sites Ghana, serving as its founding partner and Deputy Executive Director.

His contributions to tourism extend beyond Africa, with an invitation to the inaugural United Nations Tourism for Africa and America Summit in the Dominican Republic.

Partnering with the Pan Africa Arts Society in London, he hosted one of the most successful comedy and music shows—Kavod 2024—and collaborated with Telemo Fun Club to bring the Party in the Park experience to London.

He also provided ground-handling services for Mastercard and AirBnB’s strategic management teams during their visits to Ghana, in partnership with The Big Group and Icily Live from the UK and South Africa.

Abeiku Santana's impressive catalogue of awards in tourism includes Tourism CEO of the Year at the 2023 Ghana CEO Awards, Tourism-Oriented Media Personality at the 2021 Ghana Tourism Awards, M.I.C.E. Africa Company of the Year (2018, Kaya Tours), and the EMY Africa Special Recognition Award for Tourism Promotion and Marketing (2020, Kaya Tours), among others.