……..as outgoing president, Mr. Bankole Bernard lists some Achievements
The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies, NANTA, has announced it is set to host the first of its kind Annual General Meeting, AGM, in Kano to elect its new Executive members.
The AGM which will play host to over 500 participants has the theme: “National Carrier, A remedy to Sustainable Tourism Development and Revenue Generation”, taking place at the Marhaba Event place by Bristol palace hotel, Kano from 26th-27th of March, 2020.
At a press briefing in Lagos, the NANTA President, Mr. Bakole Bernard said speakers at the AGM would be seasoned aviators and tourism experts well selected to educate and dissect the theme of the gathering.
“Our AGM in Kano promises to live up to our established protocols in terms of quality attendance and discussions on notable industry issues.”
The guest speakers from within and from outside the country expected at the event include; Dr. Gbenga Olowo, President, Aviation RoundTable, ART, Sunil Kumar.R, President, UFTAA, Dr. Susan Kostic, IATA Director Global Distribution, Mr. Mohammed Wanyoike, Chairman, Kenya Asso. of Travel Agents, Richard Mujjuzi, Uganda Association of Travel Agents, Nzaramba Jean Claude, Vice Chairman Association of Travel Agencies and many other speakers.
According to the NANTA president, this year’s AGM would be a great departure from the previous ones.
“This particular AGM is going to be different a bit from the other AGM that we have had in the sense that, in the past we have always revolve our AGM’s around governmental institutions, we decided to take a different dimension into it to bring professionals but not locally this time around but from the globe, we have the president of UFTAA who is going to be a key speaker we have other presidents of Associations in Africa that are going to come there.”
He added, “Our AGM’s, both non-elective and elective were carefully programmed as informative and insightful gatherings discussing industry matters that must drive the process of immediate and future engagements.”
He emphasized that in the last 4 years, NANTA had built relationships with some key Associations around the world that had positioned NANTA not as a local trade Association but a recognized trade Association that is making impact in Africa.
“To the glory of God, NANTA is not a strange name in the mouth of people in the travel and trade business around the globe.”
“We went continental and global in search of platforms to engage other deep facilitators within our trade environment, thus bringing Nigeria into focus and recognition by global industry influencers. From Kenya, South Africa, Ghana to Spain, Germany, Turkey AMD other parts of Europe.”
Speaking on his level of support for the in coming Executive to be led by the first National Vice President and unopposed presidential hopeful, Mrs. Susan Akporaiye, Mr. Bankole said, “You are not going to see anything less than what you are seeing in this present administration rather you are going to be seeing more, everything is going to be positive and that is why, we have an overwhelming support for her to be the next president for this great Association, it is going be a smooth journey to a smooth tradition into another administration for us.”
He noted that members of the Association believe in one particular interest and that interest is the Association first before any other Interest.
“It is not about me, it is not about her but about the Association , how the Association will continue to position itself as a force to be reckoned with not only in Nigeria because we have gone beyond Nigeria, not in West Africa. The last time NANTA was the one intervening in Ghana helping them to put their Association together. Last time Kenya came here to under study the way we are running NANTA.”
Mr. Bernard also used the event to highlight some of his achievements in office in the past years and applauded the Association members for their unwavering support in rising NANTA from near death and gave it vision and aspiration that had restored the dignity and future for travel trade professionals.
He explained that during his tenure, the body was able to create partnerships across board from their principals, that is the airlines, trade facilitators, the GDS’ state and federal government and certain relevant agencies that helped add value to their desire to remain relevant and innovative.
“We are happy that NANTA members are no linger seen as fly-by- night operators but serious professional contributors to the GDP and growth of the national economy.”
“NANTA under my watch carefully re- engineered the fertilization of global relationships, which today has made Nigeria a destination to watch out for.”
