Ooni of Ife to host NATOP 2019 AGM

THE Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) has been assured of a grand hosting of the 2019 edition of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled to hold at the Ife Grand Resort and Leisure in Ile Ife, Osun State.

This assurance came on the heel of the recent pre-AGM visit by a delegation of NATOP executives led by the President, Hajia Bilikisu Abdul to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja ll in Ife.

The Ooni who was enthusiasm to see the umbrella body of all tour operators in Nigeria, commended the never-said-die-spirit of the NATOP president which have continued not only to show their importance as the drivers of the tourism industry in Nigeria, but also a body of people who makes things happen for the sector.

Oba Ogunwusi who is also an ardent tourism promoter which radiates in all he does said tourism is the new generation economic game changers that will take Nigeria and her citizens to the next level, adding that it is high time Nigeria started structuring its policy towards making tourism one of the major sector of interest by tapping the low hanging fruit through practical means backed up by sincerity of purpose.

The Ooni, however assured NATOP team his full support in making the 2019 edition of MATOP AGM, slated for Ife Grand Resort and Leisure in April a done deal.

Earlier in her remarks, the president of NATOP, Hajia Abdul, who was elated by the gesture and hospitality accorded the members at the Ooni’s palace said association took a step in the right direction to not only make domestic tourism the new spirit and mandate of the association but also to use the tourism campaign to boost and open newer destination across the country using the yearly AGM to launch new destinations.

She did not only thanked the Ooni of Ife for taking it outrightly to host 2019 AGM but also lauded the ingenuity of Oba Ogunwusi tourism style and spirit of developing a resort with details, class and iconic structure that pride itself with taste with a blend of cultural fittings to give it a unique look.

“The Ife Grand Resort and Leisure is a prime product that is sellable any time and we will work with our power to make the resort a one stop conference, holiday and leisure destination for seekers of such a gateway.

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Our choice of Ife is a deliberate plan to explore and open the destination to the world. NATOP debut with it destination marketing and promotion three years ago when it launched it AGM at Calabar in Cross River State, later took it to Lagos in 2017 and last year we were in Jos, Plateau State.

“Our aim is to create a sustainable culture of domestic tourism among Nigeria by strategically exploring different rich potentialities gifted each state including Abuja.

“As a national association we use our AGM to expose our members to the huge tourism potentials and resources available in Nigeria.” NATOP is an Association for Tour Operators involved in both Outbound and Inbound Tourism.