IIPT Bids Farewell to Mira Berman: 
Recipient of IIPT’s 1st Lifetime Achievement Award

It is with profound sadness that IIPT learned of the passing of Mira Berman on June 29, 2010. Mira, Founder and President of the Bradford Group and Executive Director of the Africa Travel Association from 1990 to 2006 was an inspiration to all who knew her.

Under Mira’s leadership and guidance, the Africa Travel Association – through its conferences and communications– particularly the Africa Travel Magazine and Website, gradually balanced the negative images of Africa portrayed in the main stream media with positive images of diverse and vibrant cultures, magnificent landscapes with abundant and diverse wildlife, and a friendly, welcoming hospitable people as witnessed these past weeks by all who have watched the World Soccer matches.

Mira’s vision and leadership has been a major contributing factor in the dramatic growth of international tourism to Africa over the past 20 years – and for several of the last ten years, the world’s leading region for growth in international tourism.  In the words of Africa Travel Magazine Editor Jerry Bird:  “Mira Berman will be best loved and best known for her outstanding success in “Bringing the World to Africa - and Africa to the World.”

Mira’s direct involvement with IIPT began with the organization and marketing of the 1st IIPT Global Summit, where Mira and theBradford Group were a key partner, together with title sponsor American Express and our host, the Jordan Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. Our close and fruitful relationship continued since then for the rest of the decade with IIPT annual events at World Travel Market, two additional Summits, four African Conferences, and the ‘birthing’ of the Africa Diaspora Heritage Trail. We were most honored to recognize Mira’s many contributions to a Peaceful and Sustainable World with our 1st IIPT Lifetime Achievement Award presented at our 4th IIPT African Conference, Kampala, Uganda, 1997.

Photo (above): Mira Berman being interviewed by Sandy Dhuyvetter, Travel Talk Media

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