The biggest iconic global travel and tourism trade market, World Travel Market (WTM) opens on Monday, November 7th, 2022, with trail blazing National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) hoisting Nigerian flag at the event.
The NANTA effort, unprecedented, a refreshing and robust intervention by a private sector driven initiative to proudly showcase Nigeria in the absence of strong federal government tourism representation; usually the norm when global tourism communities gather to tell their stories and attack a chunk of global tourism traffic to their destinations.
Like AirPeace, the biggest Nigeria domestic carrier has done successfully in global aviation circles, taking advantage of Bilateral Air Services Agreements ( BASA) and standing bold in the absence of a Nigerian state airline, to give a strong hold and options in global travel opportunities, NANTA certainly muscles up its travel trade experience to tell good stories of Nigerian tourism/cultural opportunities and its fledging digital economy to the global gathering, , of TRAVEL marketers and resource buyers in tourism at the UK market.
NANTA, would not flex alone, apart from its ever unrelenting and strong willed members, always willing to break new grounds in travel and tourism ecosystem, Nigeria ambassador to the United Kingdom, AirPeace, and Arik (two major Nigerian domestic airlines) will add a strong presence at NANTA-Nigeria stand at WTM.
Susan Akporiaye, President of NANTA, leads the huge Nigerian tourism narrative and has promised to sustain the effort, seen in Nigerian tourism circles, as novel and indicative of how the private sector can add values to socioeconomic development of Nigeria.
Though many people contend it is the business of the Federal Government Tourism Agencies to showcase Nigeria to the world, NANTA fill gap response oxygenates and enriches the desire of the private sector to assure and assume the ownership of the values and gains of the industry.
According to NANTA President, the WTM NANTA-Nigeria showpiece, has the support of National Council for Arts and Culture ( NCAC) and Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation ( NTDC) and again, reflects a new Pattern of relationship and direction in the quest to proudly market Nigeria to the outside world.
“Otunba Segun Runsewe remains our strategic and strong pillar but for our own Nafest, also coinciding with WTM dates of engagement, he would have led this campaign but all the same, gave NANTA the support and cultural tourism marketing tools to sell Nigeria. Folorunsho Coker, DG NTDC too was supportive and through them, we have Nigerian branded gift items to give away.
Also on the NANTA Nigeria tourism train, is La Campagne Tropicana Resort, Ibeju Lekki Lagos, the only global Resort, with natural ambiance in nature, river, and beach themed ecosystem.
Coming back home and with deep of gratitude, Mrs Akporiaye extends special appreciation to the Board of Trustees, Executive Council, and Members of NANTA for making this possible, adding, that NANTA is set excite WTM event a proudly NIgerian cultural FLAVOUR!