Umfundaze wokuqala we-LGBTQ+ wezokuvakasha oklonyeliswe yi-IGLTA Foundation

UMqondisi Ophethe weNtsako Travel Africa uLipian Mtandabari uklonyeliswe ngendondo yokuqala yamazwe ngamazwe LGBTQ + Umfundaze we-Travel Association Foundation wokubamba iqhaza ohlelweni lwezinga eliphezulu e-CETT, Isikole Sezokuvakasha, I-Hospitality kanye ne-Gastronomy eNyuvesi yase-Barcelona. Uhlelo olubonakalayo lonyaka owodwa kwezokuvakasha kwe-LGBTQ+ olokuqala lwalolu hlobo, olunikeza ababambiqhaza balo ithuba lokuba abaholi boshintsho kwezokuvakasha ngemodeli esekelwe ekuhlonipheni nasekubandakanyeni. 

U-Lipian, ovela eZimbabwe, usungule i-Ntsako Travel Africa ngo-2018 ukuze athuthukise ezokuvakasha ze-LGBTQ+ e-Afrika, egxile eZimbabwe, eNingizimu Afrika, eBotswana naseZambia. Uthi ukuqhubela phambili le ndaba kunzima ngaphandle kwemfundo ehlelekile, nakuba iminyaka eminingi yezokuvakasha.

“Ukuba uchwepheshe okhethekile LGBTQ + ezokuvakasha ezwenikazi lase-Afrika, izwekazi lapho imfundo isadlala indima enkulu ekuqinisekiseni ubungcweti bomuntu kanye nekhono lomsebenzi, inezinselelo eziningi,” kusho uLipian. “Ngikholwa wukuthi lezi ziqu zizongisiza ukuthi ngikhulise ulwazi lwami, amakhono ami futhi ngihambisane nesizathu engizifela ngaso usuku nosuku. Ngiyabonga ngokukhethwa futhi angingabazi ukuthi imizamo yami yokuthuthukisa ezokuvakasha ze-LGBTQ+ manje isizothuthukiswa.”

Lo mfundaze wakhiwe ngokubambisana okukhulu kwe-Queer Destinations ukuze kuzuze ilungu lebhizinisi elincane I-IGLTA futhi isekele izifundo ezintsha ze-CETT, ezethule imojula yayo yokuqala kule nyanga. 

Ikomidi lomfundaze le-IGLTAF ligqugquzelwe yindaba kaLipian nokuzinikela kwakhe kuyo LGBTQ + ezokuvakasha. Phambilini uthole i-IGLTAF David Martin Small Business Fellowship ukuze ahambele u-2019 I-IGLTA I-Global Convention eNew York City.

“Sihalalisela uLipian ngokuqokelwa ohlelweni lwe-CETT luka-2022. Isicelo sakhe sakhuphukela phezulu ngenxa yothando lwakhe lokuba nomthelela omuhle kwezokuvakasha kwe-LGBTQ+ hhayi e-Afrika kuphela, kodwa emhlabeni jikelele, futhi siyazi ukuthi uzokwenza umnikelo omkhulu embonini yethu,” kusho uNobhala-Jikelele we-IGLTAF u-Eddie Canaday, ophethe ikomiti lokukhetha. “Sithole izicelo ezivela eqenjini elimangalisayo labangenele ibhizinisi le-IGLTA futhi sibashayela ihlombe bonke ngokuzinikela kwabo kulo LGBTQ + ezokuvakasha futhi sithemba ukunikeza amanye amathuba afana nalawa eminyakeni ezayo.”

Ukukhonza ekomitini lokukhetha imifundaze ye-IGLTAF: Eddie Canaday, Vakashela i-Salt Lake; Pamela Herr, PH Imicimbi; Rika Jean-Francois, ITB Berlin; Dougal Mckenzie, Google; UJim McMichael, Las Vegas CVA; kanye noGary Murakami, iTeneo Hospitality Group.