Award-Winning Author & Photographer Lola Akinmade ÅKerström to Keynote WITS Europe

Lola Akinmade Åkerström

We are thrilled to announce that Lola Akinmade Åkerström will be the first of two keynote speakers for the inaugural Women in Travel Summit (WITS) Europe. Åkerström is an award-winning author and photographer whose work explores culture through food, tradition, and lifestyle for high profile publications such as National Geographic Traveler, BBC, The Guardian, and Lonely Planet, amongst others.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have Lola joining us as a keynote for our inaugural European summit,” expressed Marissa Sutera, Conference Director of WITS. “Along her journey, Lola has broken countless barriers and she’s not stopping any time soon. We are honored to have Lola share her fascinating and inspiring story with the WITS community.”

Åkerström is editor-in-chief of Slow Travel Stockholm and founder of NordicTB Collective, which brings together the top professional travel bloggers and digital storytellers from Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. She has collaborated with many well-known brands – from Mercedes Benz and Dove to Intrepid Travel and National Geographic Channel. She is also the author of two books – the award-winning Due North & the bestselling LAGOM: Swedish Secret of Living Well.

Åkerström has received the 2018 Travel Photographer of the Year Bill Muster Award and was honoured with a MIPAD 100 (Most Influential People of African Descent) Award within media and culture. She was also the recent recipient of the Most Impactful Piece of Writing award at the inaugural Bessie Awards for her article “The color of adventure: When will travel show more diversity?”.

“Not only am I honored to be a keynote speaker at the first ever WITS in Europe which inspires and empowers women within the travel industry, I am equally thrilled that it is happening in Latvia - a country I have collaborated with several times and one which is dear to my heart.” Åkerström said. 

WITS Europe is the newest annual event building upon Wanderful foundations across the Atlantic to a broader global audience. It will take place on November 8 -10 at the Radisson Blu Latvija Conference & Spa Hotel in Riga, Latvia. 

For press passes, get in touch with Communications & PR Manager Justine Abigail Yu at justine@sheswanderful.com.