L-R: Governor of Cross River State, Benedict Ayade, Ikechi Uko, founder Akwaaba Travel Expo with Hloni Pitso, regional manager, West Africa, South African Tourism.
FUNKE OSAE-BROWN
This sunny Tuesday November morning, the car park at the Eko Hotel & Suites was filled to the brim. Cars were taking their turns to get a space. Perhaps, this is a proof of the high volume of tourism trade and visitors that the yearly Akwaaba Travel Expo pulls to the city of Lagos every November.
As I walked into the ground floor of the Eko Hotel & Suites after registration, I was ushered into the creative stand of Golden Tulip Hotel. Brochures of all sizes were neatly arranged on the table for visitors who need more information on the hotel’s operations and offering.
From there, I took the elevator to the first floor where the stands of Whispering Palm, Air Maroc were located. At the Whispering Palm Stand, Omoloye Foluso told me the waterways is an alternative for guests, who do not want to go through the stress of traffic logjam on the Mile 2/Badagry expressway, to get to the Whispering Palms in Badagry. According to him, Whispering Palms’ presence at Akwaaba is to give customers reasons to visit Whispering Palms.
Taking the bend after the Air Maroc booth led me to Air Rwanda and Kenya Holidays cubicles. Betty Ingwe, marketing officer, Kenya Tourism Board said the Nigerian market is strategic for Kenya hence the opening of the Kenya Holidays office in Lagos recently. She added that they want Nigerians to be in Kenya to experience the magical environment the country offers.
Dubai had a strong presence at this year edition of Akwaaba.
Of course, Dubai had a strong presence at this year edition of Akwaaba as it took over the uppermost floor. The powerful orient scent hits my nostrils as I climbed the staircase to the foyer. Everything Dubai was present there from Emirates Airline, City of Arabia, to Arabian Adventures and more. Visitors at the large Dubai booth were treated to some of the finest holiday packages the country has to offer.
“We are opening IMG World of Adventure Park next year,” Vanessa Thodda, assistant director of sales, Leisure and MICE told me. “It is a great park for adults and children. We have different sections; Marvell, Lost Valley, Cartoon Network and IMG Boulevard. Children will surely love it. It is reputed to be the largest park in the world.”
In addition, to Dubai, South African Tourism also had a good outing at the travel expo. There was a wine tasting session to welcome the governor of Cross River State, Benedict Ayade, who was accompanied by Ikechi Uko, founder Akwaaba Travel Expo, on a tour of the expo; moving from booth to booth.
“We are happy to be a part of Akwaaba this year,” said Hloni Pitso, regional manager, West Africa, South African Tourism. “Nigeria is an important market for South Africa. One of the things we are doing is to understand the market by putting together tailor-made travel packages for visitors from this destination.”
More than 200 foreigners visited this year’s Akwaaba Travel Expo.
Uko said that more than 200 foreigners visited this year’s Akwaaba Travel Expo on the first two days as against 80 that did in 2014. According to him, this year’s turnout of foreigners was remarkable as it would showcase further Nigeria’s potential to the world.
“I am pleased with the high turnout of participants this year but I hope we will have a larger turn-out next year,” Uko told News Agency of Nigeria in a report. “It was initially difficult for some of the foreigners to get Nigerian visas. I commend the various relevant government agencies whose intervention made some to finally get their visas.’’
One could not help but agree that the 2015 Akwaaba had an impressive attendance of both local and foreign tourists and tour operators. A travel market of this nature will no doubt, help to increase the nation`s foreign exchange and add to the country’s GDP. The expo which started on November 22 ended on November 24, 2015.
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