Stakeholders Chart Path to Tourism Industry’s Growth

• Stakeholders Chart Path to Tourism Industry’s Growth

Travel Nigeria has unveil plan to gather stakeholders in the country’s travel, tourism and cultural industries for its 2018 Summit/Expo, where most influential travel/tourism players, industry professionals and policy makers will meet to chart a new path to the travel/tourism industry’s growth.

Event director, George Agbanelo, said the platform is billed to deepen on-going discussions, stimulate measurable actions and provide the most inclusive and sweeping solutions on how to convert Nigeria’s tourism assets into economic growth and prosperity.

In a recent press release, Agbanelo stated that stakeholders during the sessions would deliberate on five key issues, namely: natural assets, infrastructure, financing, policy and strategy, and technology, adding that the summit will cover current issues affecting the industry.

According to him, Nigeria like other countries on the African continent, is keen on converting favourable demographics, in relation to tourism, into economic growth and prosperity. He added that the expo will be graced by over 3,000 travel-ready guests, which is a unique platform for showcasing new travel and tourism opportunities, generating new businesses and creating new partnerships.boosting brand exposure, and selling travel and tourism related products and services.

He further stated the organizers have designed the event to set the tone for how tourism can be utilized as an engine for economic growth and job creation through innovative business models, new technologies and strategic partnerships which will also provide a platform to network, explore new tourism markets and products including the promotion and preservation of the country’s rich cultural heritage and wildlife.

“To address the impact of the geopolitical, economic and societal challenges facing the Nigerian travel/tourism industry and create new sources of growth, stakeholders need to adapt and rethink their strategies by collaborating with fellow players and creating new forms of philosophies. The TravelNigeria summit is designed to offer insights, inspiration and solution-oriented tools to turn these philosophies into actions.

“The Summit will delve in detail into opportunities in travel and tourism, and will allow participants to be wholly updated on the market by some of the most senior experts in the sector; look at the roles and opportunities for all players in the market, including Investors, Financiers, The government, ICT providers, development agencies and their related advisers, whilst networking with the leading professionals in tourism from across the country. It is also expected to welcome over 200 delegates, more than 2,500 travel-ready visitors, 80 C-level executives, more than 30 top government functionaries, in addition to the over N600 million business deals expected to be struck over the 2-day event. He said.

With the theme “Innovating, collaborating and growing to restore the travel and tourism industry in Nigeria, Agbanelo said TravelNigeria is a three-pronged event comprising a national conference, exhibition and awards dinner. The event which is scheduled to hold on April 27-28, 2018 at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island where Lagos will update practitioners with the latest trend in the industry and assist them in understanding where the industry currently is, and where it is headed and help identify where the opportunities lie; where/how to connect with the ideal partners and develop the partnerships that will boost business opportunities.

Agbanelo said the tourism finance focus at the summit will be structured around key subject matters ranging from the possibilities of public-private partnerships to unlocking hidden potentials, to the challenges of funding the tourism portfolio, the opportunities to be found in travel and tourism, and the strategies to address the challenges of developing of the industry.

He stressed the summit will feature an exhibition show that will provide opportunity for travel and tourism organisations, state governments and other service providers in the industry to showcase destinations, products, services and technologies. While concluding that the event will co-host five powerful sub-events including: the national summit, an exhibition show, travel and tourism professionals forum, the travel tech expo, the Nigerian Travel & Tourism Awards (the voyage awards), and the digital tourism forum.