The projected 3.4 trillion dollars
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rated Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA)
Initiative is to gain a muscled buy- in by the National Association of Nigeria
Travel Agencies (NANTA), which will be facilitated through aviation
collaborations with four major African indigenous airlines, Kenya Airways,
Egypt air, Ethiopian Airlines and Rwanda Air.
With expected liberalised free trade
and duty free enabled goods and services regime across African borders despite
challenges of COVID-19 pandemic and teething problems, NANTA believes that an
organised trade and tourism marketing among African nations facilitated by well
thought out aviation connectivity, African union passport and synchronised visa
regime, among nations under the AFCFTA deal, could change the economic
narratives of the estimated 1.3 million population of African nations.
Concerned that the trade pact has
potentials of lifting out the vulnerable poor, particularly African women who
bestrides about 70 per cent the informal sectors in Africa out of poverty,
NANTA President, Mrs Susan Akporiaye says AFCFTA presents a refreshing
assessment of the tourism and aviation collaborations with African airlines at
the forefront to exploit and boost intra African trade, create travel and
tourism jobs and improve competitiveness of the unique African culture,
indigenous crafts and tourism to the global community.
Mrs Akporiaye, who unveiled Africa
to Africa Tourism Promotion campaign to the management of the four major
African airlines at different meetings in Lagos, stated that with the advent
the African union passport by Africa Union (AU), and NANTA driving the tourism
and culture content initiative in collaboration with the airlines, will enhance
and lubricate the promotion and marketing of African tourism economy, creating
jobs in the process and engendering peace and integration.
Speaking during the visit to Kenya
Airways management, NANTA president called for a detailed and focal attention
on Kenya tourism within the AFCFTA agenda and with members pushing the
frontiers of its marketing and promotion.
She believes Kenya Airways can be a
veritable partner in the NANTA driven vision to create jobs across and within
Africa region through intra continental tourism initiatives.
Hafis Balogun, Country Manager,
Kenya Airways who received NANTA President and her delegation, praised the
Africa-to-Africa Tourism Promotion campaign, noting that Kenya Airways will
partner with the association to give a different holiday experience to Nigerians
and Africans interested to visit Kenya.
Mr Balogun who conducted NANTA team
round the office of Kenya Holidays, noted that the office, in response to the
dreams and demand for holiday visits to Kenya, will in due course, roll out
specific tourism products and to which NANTA will be the driving force.
“We have taken note of the desire to
rebrand and drive the Kenya Holidays with safari, beach shopping tourism
products enabled agenda, and with your deserving collaboration, Kenya tourism
would rebound fast.”
At the Victoria Island Office of
Ethiopian Airlines, Akporiaye reiterated the need for intra African tourism
rebirth and challenged the management to facilitate the promotion of Ethiopian
religious tourism and its agricultural offerings.
Elated at the NANTA Africa Tourism
Promotion campaign, the General Manager, Nigeria of the biggest airline in
Africa, Mr Shimeles Arage, noted that the Ethiopian national carrier has been
in the forefront of African connectivity and integration, adding that the
airline hauled across the world and Africa, the COVID-19 pandemic medical
response equipment and other cargos, which helped African businesses in
particular to remain afloat at the height of the pandemic.
“We shall collaborate with NANTA on
this laudable campaign and would do the needful in truly letting Africans and
Nigerians know more about Ethiopia tourism, which I must admit, we have not
given the true focal attention.”
Arage informed that Nigerians would
be amazed at the religious tourism offerings of northern Ethiopia, which
harbours the Ark of Covenant and other relics and highpoints of early
Christianity, not excluding the distinct aromatic Ethiopian Coffee brand.
“We are with you on this amazing
Africa to Africa tourism initiative,” he assured.
Addressing Rwanda Air management,
Mrs Akporiaye stressed that the airline has shown capacity and discipline since
bestriding the African aviation space, hence the need to be part of the NANTA
driven African tourism promotion agenda, particularly in showcasing its famed tourism
infrastructural renewals and agricultural offerings.
Country manager, Rwanda Air, Muhamud
Wayiga praised NANTA for being in the forefront of the AFCFTA tourism buy-in,
requesting the association to furnish him with Nigerian tourism products and
destinations to enable the airline market Nigeria not only in Rwanda but in
others countries where the airline has established presence.
“Am glad to receive you and your
team today in Rwanda Air and in due course, I will visit your office which I
understand is representative of your progressive impact. But we at Rwanda Air
will like to know more about Nigeria; we want other people, our passengers to
come to Nigeria and enjoy its hospitality, not just about promoting Rwanda
alone. That’s why am happy about this NANTA initiative.”
Received in audience at the Egypt
air by the management team led by General Manager, Mr Muharram Abdel Rahman,
Financial Controller, Ayman Mohamed Hassan and Ahmed Rasaq, chief accountant,
Mrs Akporiaye said Egypt air has the history and capacity to be at the
forefront of NANTA driven Africa-to-Africa tourism and aviation collaboration.
“We at NANTA is convinced that if
Egypt air partners with us and put its strength in the pact, the people of the
continent would be better for it.”
Responding, Mr Muharram Abdel Rahman
noted that Egypt, as the oldest country in Africa nay the world, is determined
to put its strength and experience behind the NANTA Africa Tourism Promotion
campaign.
“First, let me congratulate you and
your team for the good work you have done so far despite the impact of COVID-19
pandemic. We at Egypt air salute your courage and for coming up with this
initiative, we cannot but commend you for your foresight and open doors to
deepen the African tourism economy” he enthused.
Rahman explained that Egypt air
could collaborate in areas of training, medical tourism, logistics and security
and safety.
“We must admit that our visa regime is a bit confusing to Nigerians, but we now have visa on arrival. However, the group tour regime is also difficult to sell in Nigeria unlike what is obtainable in Europe and America, where tourists come to Egypt in groups and have seamless visits. Nigerians don’t like to travel in groups and so, we wish to encourage group visits and we can support with visa procurement, thereby helping to facilitate visit Egypt holidays.”
By - Admin
By - Admin
By - Admin