The National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) has urged citizens to serve as “Global Travel Ambassadors” by promoting positive stories about Nigeria to counter negative foreign narratives.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the association’s 50th anniversary themed “Redefining Our Role as Global Travel Ambassadors”, NANTA President, Dr. Yinka Folami, emphasised the critical role travellers play in shaping international perception.
Dr. Folami noted that because travel agencies facilitate roughly 70% of all airline ticket distributions in the country, they hold a unique position to influence the mindset of outbound Nigerians.
“It is important to have that consciousness.
“We must deliberately and continuously engage our customers in conversations to be positive about Nigeria and to put up their best behaviour when abroad,”Folami said.
Read also: NANTA Unveils Strategy to Rebuild Nigeria’s Travel Image
Drawing from personal experience, Dr. Folami highlighted that individual conduct is the most powerful tool for changing minds. He challenged travellers to let their actions speak for the nation’s character.
Speaking on the 50th anniversary, the President, Dr. Yinka Folami, declared that the Golden Jubilee is more than a celebration; it is a “reset” for an industry currently facing significant global headwinds.
The choice of Ibadan for the 50th-anniversary Annual General Meeting (AGM) is symbolic. As a cradle of Nigerian leadership and history, the city serves as the foundation for NANTA’s organisational overhaul.
Addressing the ‘Red Flags’
NANTA leadership acknowledged the uphill battle facing Nigerian travellers and professionals, citing:
- Harsh Global Narratives: Persistent negative headlines affecting international perception.
- Visa Restrictions: Increasing barriers for Nigerian passport holders.
- Erosion of Trust: A decline in global confidence in Nigerian systems.
To counter these, NANTA is positioning its 3,500+ members as “unofficial diplomats” tasked with correcting narratives and restoring confidence through professional excellence.
Protecting the Travel Market
Dr. Folami highlighted several critical economic “plagues” currently threatening the commercial viability of travel agencies and SMEs in Nigeria which are;
Illegal Dollar Sales: Some airlines continue to demand USD payments despite government fiscal reforms.
Debit Memos: Punitive airline policies that threaten to bankrupt local agencies.
Unfair Competition: Issues surrounding cross-border trading and anti-competitive practices.
Tax Misinterpretation: The misapplication of tax policies on travel members.
From Trade to Professional Institute
In a major move to institutionalise discipline, NANTA announced that its training committee has evolved into a fully registered entity: The NANTA Training Institute for Travel Professionals Limited/GTE.
Dr Folami said; “The best way to protect our members is to raise standards.
“Professionalism is no longer optional. We are dissociating ourselves from fraudsters; they are not us.”
The 50th-anniversary event features a high-powered line-up of speakers designed to move “from conversation to action,” including government and policy stakeholders such as the Nigeria in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, and Deloitte.
International diplomacy will also be represented, with the Kenya High Commissioner and the President of the United Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA), among others.
As NANTA hits the half-century mark, the Association is no longer just a middleman for tickets, but a structured, accountable body of professionals dedicated to protecting the Nigerian traveller and the nation’s global reputation.