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Black U.S. Travel Agents, Meeting in Africa, See Tourism Changes

A four-day meeting of black travel agents ended here yesterday with vows to make black travelers a respected and organized force for social change.

"Black Americans represent the greatest unorganized travel potential in the world," said Earl Kennedy, president of the Inter-American Travel Agents Society, in an address to the group's 14th annual convention. Mr. Kennedy, whose agency is in Detroit, said the travel dollar of black Americans must be used to force social changes where needed and that "we want to make certain we spend our money only where we are welcome."

The group found a warm welcome here on the west coast of Africa where President Felix Houphouet-Boigny and several Cabinet ministers feted the visitors in what is said to be Africa's most modernly planned city. The French-speaking nation of 5.5 million has sought tourist dollars with several modern hotels and it plans a 15-square-mile "African Riviera" combining additional tourist facilities with the expansion of the capital city, Abidjan.

"We brought our 14th convention to Africa because more and more black people want to travel to Africa," Mr. Kennedy said during an interview. "The black thrust toward Africa is real — you find black groups of the elderly, the professionals, the civil servants and even students are all trying to book a trip to Africa back home to their source."

Africa may soon replace the Caribbean as the favorite travel area for black Americans, some agents said.

"Years ago you could wait in an American airport and count the blacks you saw on one hand excluding the sky-caps," Mr. Kennedy said. "Now we see blacks in every job with the airlines — and especially as travelers."

"We must make certain," he added, "that we organize the black travel dollar so that the black traveler is appreciated and that other blacks are allowed to share in the profits of this travel dollar."

The group resolved to demand more hiring of black representative by hotel chains, airlines and other industries connected with travel. John Dixon, a sales coordinating manager with the Sheraton Hotels Corporation, one of several black observers at the convention, told the group that such pressures must be made "on the basis of profit and loss statement," and not on moral grounds.

"We have the potential to have a real impact on the industry since we are involved in the dollars and cents arena that all men understand," said Mrs. June G. Robinson, director of group sales for Lincoln Douglas Travel Inc. of Washington. 

Earl G. Graves, publisher of Black Enterprise, a business and careers publication for black Americans, told the delegates that as travel agents in the United States "where leisure time is promoting more and more business opportunities you are standing on the threshold of greatness."

Mr. Graves, who was presented with the travel society's service award for highlighting black travel in his monthly magazine, also stressed the theme that black business leaders and travelers would have to organize to make certain that their travel dollars have a "multiplier effect" in increased black profits.

"Black Americans spent more than $600 million on travel in 1971 and will spend more than $800 million this year," Mr. Graves said.

Traveling on a chartered Air Afrique jet, the travel agents and observers were scheduled to visit Ghana and Senegal before returning home.

[[image - black and white photograph of Earl Kennedy, President of Inter-American Travel Agents, presents the Letters of Introduction to His Excellency Felix Houphouet Boign, President of the Ivory Coast.]]

[[image - black and white head shot photograph of Mr. Ekra Matheiu Minister of Tourism, Ivory Coast]]

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