Nigerian travel trade professionals and their counterparts in Istanbul, Türkiye, jointly bemoaned the visa regimes by both countries, praying for waivers and relaxation of entry regimes into Nigeria and Türkiye in order to speed up trade and tourism
National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) in its first historic collaboration meeting yesterday in Istanbul with the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) appealed for the intervention of its Turkish sister body to use her influence to help guide the Turkish government to relax the strict visa regime for Nigerian travellers, particularly those who are in possession of valid visas from UK, Schengen Countries, Canada and US to allow them access visa on arrival without stress or the electronic visa.
Similarly, the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) tabled before NANTA the same constraints experienced by Turkish investors and tourists wishing to visit Nigeria, noting that the very Nigerian stringent visa ecosystem have impacted negatively the desire of Turkish people to visit Nigeria.
The two influential trade groups, after extensive deliberations covering mutual trade opportunities and challenges, agreed to table the feedback to their relevant and appropriate focal authorities, promising to sign a memorandum of understanding to partner and support each other on tourism exchange visits, training and retraining, and to forge a united voice on
global travel trade matters and to ensure improved revenue yields courtesy of tourism for the two nations.
NANTA led by the president, Mr Yinka Folami, expressed happiness at the reception and hospitality of the Association of Turkish Travels Agencies (TURSAB) leadership, and subsequently threw an open invitation to the entire leadership of the Associations of Turkish Travel Agencies to the 50th anniversary of NANTA next year – 2026.
“We are pleased to be here and greatly appreciate your hospitality to my team. This meeting is hugely successful and impactful and we assure you that we will reach out to our home government over the visa challenges experienced by the good people of the republic of Türkiye and again will use this opportunity to announce that Turkish Airlines is the official partner Airline for our 50th anniversary next year. Likewise, we also graciously invite you and your leadership to the event, ” NANTA president explained further.
The Vice President, Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) Mr. Davut Gunaydin, in his remarks, also expressed the same sentiments but wishes to see more Nigerians visit Türkiye, worried by the very low visitors traffic from Nigeria to Turkiye, a country which, yearly, welcomes close to about thirty-six million visitors from all over the world.
“We have about six thousand visitors from Spain, about same number visitors from Italy but we are worried at the near zero tourism traffic from Nigeria with over 200 million population and noted all over the world for being one of the nations with the most travelled people. We want NANTA to help us change the tide, while we too will drive similar campaigns in our country for visits to Nigeria since we share strong bonds in culture, heritage tourism, and hospitality, ” said the VP of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB)
Throwing more light on the poor visa approvals for Nigerians wishing to visit Turkey, Mr Davut Gunaydin disclosed that some Nigerians disappeared after the expiration of their visa and requested that NANTA should profile and recommend Nigerian visitors wishing to visit Turkiye to stem the tide of such Nigerian visa seekers from absconding once inside Turkey as such incidents in the past sadly contributed to the present challenge in assessing visas to Turkey by Nigerians.
The parley held at the eight floor office of the Association located in prestigious Besikta area in Istanbul was attended by the Turkish Airlines Sales Operations Manager in Nigeria, Mr Hakim Cakar, representing the airline (through his Country Manager in Nigeria Mr. Lokman Balkan), which brokered the groundbreaking meeting by the two sister organisations. The collaborative meeting was witnessed by NANTA First Deputy President Mrs Chinyere Umeasiegbu, Second Deputy President Dr Olatokunbo Dagunduro, Vice Presidents of Abuja and North respectively, Mrs Kemabonta Uloma Ibiwari and Mohammed Nasir Chamo. Also, in attendance were Vice President Lagos Zone Mr. Yinka Olapade, Vice President, Western Zone, Mr Babatunde Adesokan, Financial Secretary, Mr. Yinka Ladipo, Publicity Secretary, Mrs Lola Adewole, National Internal Auditor, Johnson Ugochukwu and Chief Administrative Officer Mr. Stanley Diagi.
From the Eighteen thousand strong Association of Turkish Travel Agencies led by the Vice President, Mr Davut Gunaydin, are Orhan Sancar, Head of Incoming Tourism Expert Committee, Kemal Ertem, Head, Outgoing Tourism Expert Committee, Ceylan Uraz Yigiterhan, Director, Expert Committee and Corporate Events, and Yildirim Tas, Executive Board Member.
