Nigerian Travel Week rolls out programme for 2018 edition

THE Nigerian Travel Week, a platform launched with the drive to create awareness about the opportunities and potential in the domestic and inbound tourism in Nigeria as well as intra-Africa travel, has rolled out its offerings for the 2018 edition.

This year’s event, which is expected to be a signature in the history of the NTW, has been endorsed by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) as well as National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) forming a practical alliance with the organiser to make it  a robust outing.’

According to Bankole, we are solidly behind the NTW; we are mobilising resources to see that every effort to making it a worthwhile is accorded to it. We are also making it bold that all airlines in Nigeria are going to be in attendance as well as allied travel players.”

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It is our event, we should try by all standards to stand to the clarion call to develop and promote domestic tourism, we are the only one that can do it to succeed, no one can do it for us,” he concluded.

However, the President of NANTA, Mr Bernard Bankole has already thrown his weight on the event to make it a success, adding that it is one good thing that had happen to travel and tourism promotion in Nigeria.

In her offering, the Director-General, NTDC, Folarin Coker represented by the Lagos Zonal Coordinator, Mrs Anette Ibe, said the NTDC has endorsed the Nigerian Travel Week because of the vision and mission which align with the practical mission of the corporation at taking domestic tourism to the next level.

The NTW in its second edition has promised to be a signature event with practically serialised programmes to promote and increase networking and partnership between the different stakeholders in the travel industry.

New in the 2018 edition is an innovative plan to concentrate all its events at the Balmorol event centre inside the Federal Palace Hotel Lagos, a platform that will host international tour operators, travel agents, travel bloggers and international media as well as all major tourism industry stakeholders in Nigeria viz-a-viz selected media and celebrities.

Speaking at the press briefing Efetobo Awana said the event with flag off with a two-day exhibition where travel and tourism stakeholders and businesses will showcase their products and services to trade buyers, sellers and ended consumers who will be visiting the event centre on October 23 and 24.

As part of the day’s event, on October 23, there will be a four series travel roundtable where travel and tourism experts from within and outside Nigeria will deliberate on thought provoking topic which include Building career in tourism, single African travel market and West African integrated travel; changing boundaries for African tourism, Where is the money; Investment opportunities in Nigerian Tourism and Tomorrow tech for Today’s travel.

On the Balerica awards, the organiser of the NTW, said that the award ceremony will on November 24, 2018 celebrate outstanding stakeholders and trend setters in travel and tourism industry in Nigeria.

According to him”the voting processes are completely transparent with the winners determined by the results of a professional review drawn from a public vote by industry players in the public and private sector.

The award which is focus on 34 categories for travel, tourism allied business stakeholders will not only celebrate but also encouraged awardees to put more effort at strategically using their contribution to practical scale up tourism relevance to the economy.

The 2018 edition of the NTW will end with a post tour of some selected tourism landmarks in Nigeria from November 25 to 28, 2018.

Already five states in Nigeria have signified interest to not only attend this year’s edition of the NTW, but also to participate fully in the trade expo.” Awana added.