The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has unveiled a series of strategic proposals aimed at deepening travel trade collaboration with Turkish Airlines during a recent high-level visit to Istanbul, Türkiye.
The nine-member delegation, led by NANTA President, Mr. Yinka Folami, presented several initiatives designed to enhance bilateral travel opportunities and passenger experience between Nigeria and Türkiye.
Central to the discussions was the call for an easing of Türkiye’s visa regime for Nigerian travelers.
NANTA emphasized that facilitating smoother visa processes would not only encourage greater travel volumes but also boost sales yield for Turkish Airlines across the Nigerian market.
Mr. Folami appealed to the airline to advocate for this initiative, underscoring its importance for travel trade growth.
Other proposals included the introduction of charter flights for Hajj and Umrah operations, capitalizing on Nigeria’s substantial Muslim population, which annually travels to Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage.
NANTA noted that Nigeria ranks fourth globally in terms of pilgrimage traffic, and urged Turkish Airlines to tap into this potential given its global operational capacity.
The delegation also proposed additional flight frequencies to underserved Nigerian regions, particularly the South-East and South-South zones, with a special focus on initiating services from Port Harcourt International Airport.
Mr. Folami stated that such an expansion would be widely welcomed and beneficial to both the airline and travelers from the region.
During the meeting, which took place at Turkish Airlines’ headquarters, NANTA praised the carrier’s Nigerian management team for their consistent support of local travel professionals.
Mr. Folami assured Turkish Airlines of NANTA’s commitment to strengthening ties and promoting the airline within Nigeria’s dynamic travel ecosystem.
Looking ahead, Turkish Airlines has been named the official partner airline for NANTA’s 50th anniversary celebrations scheduled for 2026. The partnership is expected to offer significant marketing and brand visibility opportunities for the airline within the Nigerian travel sector.
As part of the visit, the NANTA delegation also met with the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB), reinforcing NANTA’s agenda to build global alliances with influential tourism bodies.
Welcoming the delegation, Turkish Airlines Tour Marketing Manager, Abdullah Yormaz, accompanied by Charter Manager, Mustafa Pehlivan, expressed the airline’s appreciation for NANTA’s proposals and assured that the ideas would be relayed to the Vice President in charge of Africa.
He highlighted the airline’s Touristanbul package, which offers curated tours and hospitality experiences for transit passengers, as a reflection of the airline’s commitment to customer service.
The meeting concluded with a documentary presentation showcasing Türkiye’s rich cultural tourism offerings, providing NANTA members a deeper insight into the travel experiences available through Turkish Airlines.
Mr. Folami described the Istanbul visit as “transformative,” noting that it had revealed “various layers of opportunities” that would help NANTA agents better market Turkish Airlines to Nigerian travelers.
