October 31, (THEWILL) – The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) Eminent Persons Award was introduced about four years ago, the event unfortunately did not hold last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a huge impact on the globe.
The nominees for the awards include, the Director-General for National Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe; Director-General of NIHOTOUR, Nura Kangiwa; and the General Manager, Envoy Silk Road Hotel, Dewarld Kroger, among others.
Another name on the list is the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, who confirmed through his personal secretary that he will grace the occasion not only as the Royal father of Day, but also as a lover of Nigerian cultural tourism and travel, which NANTA represents and promotes.
The forthcoming event, scheduled for November 12 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, is designed to encourage Nigerians in strategic governance and to privatise positions, to put in their best to salvage the nation at a time like this.
According to Otunba Runsewe, identifying and appreciating the contributions of individuals and corporate entities in the industry, has a deep spiritual meaning and it helps to keep award recipients on their toes.
Speaking shortly after receiving his certificate of nomination for strategically being at the behest of cultural tourism, arts and crafts promotion in Nigeria in the past two decades from the President of NANTA, Mrs Susan Akporiaye, Otunba Segun Runsewe stated that the NANTA Eminent Persons Award is the Oscar of the Nigerian tourism sector.
Otunba Runsewe who made this revelation towards the end of the week, said, “Madam Susan, I want to thank you and your association for this honour. NANTA did the same to me four years ago for turning around NTDC, and again today, for the little we have done at NCAC. We shall be there to tell the world that NANTA is our pride.”
Away from the NCAC, the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), came to the fore as the Best International Air Transport Association (IATA)Training School in Nigeria.
Nura Kangiwa described the award from NANTA as the evidence of a change of narrative about the foremost government vocational training school under his watch, adding that training and retraining of industry practitioners, can only produce tested professionals.
“My sister and President of NANTA, you have just told us to brace up to do more by this prestigious validation of our focal agenda and from today, NANTA will provide us professional guidance on travel, trade and business beyond training,” he stated further.
Kangiwa, who is also the immediate former Vice-President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), North Central zone, said the expectations of industry practitioners for changes in NIHOTOUR was a huge burden, but he assured that the NANTA Eminent Persons Award, zeroing on the achievements of NIHOTOUR, meant that he had no option than to work harder for the industry, which must be regulated to check the free entry regime into the sector.
Akporiaye, who also presented a certificate of nomination to the Envoy Silk Road Hotel, Abuja as the hotel to watch, noted that the insistence of the Kangiwa-led NIHOTOUR stakeholders and practitioners in the industry must be certified before engaging in travel trade and tourism.
She described NANTA businesses as timely, adding that the association would soon issue new guidelines for admittance, in line with the NIHOTOUR training scheme.
The General Manager of Envoy Silk Road Hotel, Dewarld Kroger, said the hotel would partner NANTA to sell its rooms and services, noting that the award would boost the morale of the hotel’s workforce trained to ensure its guests’ satisfaction.
On the separate development, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, who recently received in his palace the NANTA executive led by Akporiaye, on a courtesy visit, had assured the association that he would partner with its team to rebrand Kano as a culture, trade and tourism destination, adding that the promotion and marketing of the famous Kano Durbar would be left in the professional care of the association.
The Emir was also joyfully taken aback by NANTA’s nomination of Kano under his royal leadership as the most peaceful domain in Nigeria and for making the hub of the trans-Saharan trade route a home for all Nigerians and foreigners alike.
Akporiaye, on her side, pointed out that the Emir’s presence at the second edition of NANTA Eminent Persons Award, reflects the very inspiring acceptance of the values of the travel trade body and its commitment to ensure that industry achievers and role models are recognised so as to encourage others to put in their best to salvage our dear nation at a time like this.
“We want to thank his royal highness for identifying with us and for also accepting to be our Royal father of Day, a significant appearance and support which we shall never forget as individuals and as a group. It’s history made in the lifetime of the association,” She explained.
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
