The nine-man National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) delegation to Istanbul, Türkiye, on travel trade business expedition tabled before the management of Turkish Airlines an array of trade opportunities and strategies that will create a win-win relationship between the two organisations.
The strategies covered areas on ease of visa regimes to Türkiye, Hajj and Umrah services, additional frequencies particularly targeting the South-East and South-South region of Nigeria through Port Harcourt International Airport, and more incentives for Nigerian passengers travelling through Türkiye.
NANTA’s leadership met the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) recently as part of its agenda to expand its reach and collaborate with key global industry influencers.
The Nigerian team commended the Turkish Airlines’ management, particularly the country’s management in Nigeria for its intentional support and encouragement towards Nigerian travel trade professionals.
Yinka Folami, President, NANTA, who led members of his cabinet to the meeting held on Thursday at the headquarters of the 5-Star Airline located at the heart of Istanbul, disclosed that NANTA was determined to reciprocate the gesture of support by the Airline to registered Nigerian Travel Agents, requesting that the influential global carrier should add its voice to the call for ease of obtaining Turkish Visas by Nigerian passengers as it would help galvanise sales yield for the Airline.
The association also tabled a request for Turkish Airlines to process charter flights for Hajj and Umrah flights into, and out of Nigeria as the country has a huge Muslim population visiting Saudi Arabia annually.
Folami explained that Nigeria is ranked fourth on the table of countries with huge pilgrimage traffic to the Holy Land, and since Turkish Airlines also have capacity to process this traffic globally and efficiently, NANTA will want the Turkish Airlines to take advantage of this opportunity.
He noted that a Turkish Airlines flight from Port Harcourt International Airport in the Eastern part of Nigeria, would be welcomed and celebrated too.
On the NANTA 50th anniversary celebration next year, 2026, Mr. Folami disclosed that Turkish Airlines is the official partner Airline for the event, which would provide critical and crucial marketing promotion opportunities for the Airline to penetrate deeper into the vibrant Nigerian Travel Market.
“We are grateful to Turkish Airlines for this visit to Istanbul and for the exposure to tourism and hospitality offerings available to passengers visiting or transiting through Istanbul.
“Your Touristanbul Package is top-notch, and we commend your professionalism and your efforts to treat your passengers better.
“We have seen the various layers of opportunities, and it will help us market Turkish Airlines to our customers.”
Earlier, Turkish Airlines Manager, Tour Marketing, Abdullah Yormaz flanked by the Charter Manager, Mustafa Pehlivan, who received the NANTA delegation, expressed the Turkish Airlines Management appreciation to NANTA for the visit and collaboration to deepen relationship with the Airline, assuring that all the suggestions and expectations by the visitors would be tabled before the Turkish Airlines’ Vice President in charge of Africa.
He explained that Touristanbul, the tourism arm of Turkish Airlines, provides specially tailored tour packages, including eat-out experiences for its passengers on long layouts, and generally ensures that they are taken care of.
The meeting which lasted for over two hours, with about twenty minutes set aside for a documentary highlighting services and places of cultural tourism sites on offer by Touristanbul.
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