By Taiye Olayemi
Morocco, Rwanda, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa and Uganda have indicated interest to attend the forthcoming maiden edition of the Africa Travel Market, organised by the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA).
Mrs Susan Akporiaye, National President of NANTA, disclosed this at a news conference on Tuesday in Lagos.
She said that the Africa Travel Market would create a veritable platform to promote intra-Africa trade and open up Nigeria for tourism.
According to her, the event is part of activities for the association’s 48th Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will hold from April 23 to April 27 in Lagos.
“To give a remarkable vent to our futuristic dream for our members and to Nigerians, we will be unveiling an Intra Africa Tourism Trade Exhibition during the AGM.
“We consider it an ambitious and legacy project that we can sustainably grow as a window to connect Africa and Nigeria with the world.
“This AGM is birthing a travel show for Africa travel market, we have Magical Kenya, Indaba in South Africa but Nigeria does not have such.
So, we are trying to ensure we create an Africa travel market for Nigeria.
“Going forward, the hosting of the travel market will be done every two years,” she said.
Akporiaye, who is currently serving the association in her second term said that in the course of the AGM, the association would hold its elections for new set of executives to take over.
Speaking on her achievements in the last four years, Akporiaye said she had successfully delivered on her four-point agenda, based on training and professionalism; unifying NANTA; diversification in business and maintaining a financially bouyant association.
Commenting on her most scary moment as the President, Akporiaye said, “The COVID-19 pandemic era was my most scary moment, with job losses and our members not sure of what else to do.
“Today, we stand to be counted because we pulled our strength and knowledge together. We survived because we believed in quality leadership and encouraged it.
“NANTA under my watch, we broke ceilings, trained our members, and opened doors of opportunities.
“We innovated Africa to Africa Tourism initiative, stormed Johannesburg University with the support of South Africa Tourism, and left a message.
“Twice, NANTA headlined Nigeria’s participation at the World Travel Market, London, a huge sacrifice to which our members thronged out in their numbers to identify.
Speaking further on the AGM, Mrs Adelola Adewole, NANTA’s Publicity Secretary, noted that the 48th AGM would a purposeful event.
Adewole said that the AGM would have its theme as “Unlocking Africa’s Economic Potentials: Travel and Tourism as Catalyst for Intra Africa Business Investment and Trade”.
“April 23 is arrival day, for 24, we will have a familiarisation tour to Badagry along with our foreign visitors, this is a way to open up Lagos to the world.
“For April 25, we will have three keynote speakers who will be enlightening members on diverse topics and on April 26, we will have a townhall meeting as an association, the election and a gala night while April 27 is the departure.
“The gala night is tagged “Eko for Show” and over N21 million has been budgeted for it. This is to showcase Lagos state as a preferred tourist destination,” she said. (NAN) (nannews.ng)
