ABTA Travel Management Forum
Nigeria known for its robust business travel market is a fertile ground for travel management companies helping to keep travel as seamless as possible for its numerous clients and ABTA Travel provided the forum for this with its speed networking and round table discussions in the most professional milieu at its Lagos March edition with its theme: Global Perception versus Local Reality.
It was attended by members of the association, which cut across the various segments of the travel world. Partners and event sponsors like South African airways, Amadeus, Bon hotel, HRG, Protea hotel, Ikeja, satguru holidays, Sun International and others helped participants experience new travel products and services, meet potential new travel partners and network with local industry professionals whilst gaining a keener understanding of the regions’ corporate travel trends, challenges and opportunities.
Coming at a time when the travel business is under threat and groaning under different challenges given the prevailing economic situation and operating environment, necessitating cuts in corporate travels, thereby impacting on the operations of the various suppliers of travel particularly the travel management company, the forum was applauded as timely.
Setting the ball rolling on the day was the founder of ABTA, Monique Swart, who opened a window on ABTA dissecting its mission, scope and content of engagements, membership and benefits among others. She harped on the need for the members and the corporate world to continue to support the activities of the body, which she said had contributed in no small measures to the development and growth of travel on the continent especially as its many conferences are targeted at enlightening, educating and informing on the various trends, challenges, advancements and policies issues among others.
NANTA president, Bankole Bernard; South African Airways Regional Manager, North, West & Central Africa Global Sales, Ohis Ehimiaghe; General Manager, Protea Ikeja, Miguel Farinha; Assistant Travel Coordinator, Land Bank South Africa; Head of Sales & Account Management, BCD Travel; Marketing Manager, Africa and Indian Oceans, Sun international, Didier Bayeye gave brilliant summations on their products, services and how to add value to what you do.