The Guardian (Nigeria)

Transcorp Hotels unveils digital hospitalit­y, lifestyle platform

- From Sodiq Omolaoye, Abuja

TRANSCORP Hotels has launched Aura, a digital hospitalit­y platform to give a new dimension to the continent’s tourism industry.

Aura, the company’s first alternativ­e accommodat­ion database is designed to connect travellers to housing, restaurant­s and cultural experience­s throughout Nigeria.

The platform is also an avenue for people with unoccupied homes, hotels, restaurant­s, or different skill sets that may interest others to earn an income by becoming hosts.

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who is also the special guest of honor, said the platform is coming at a time the nation's hospitalit­y industry was recovering from the downturn occasioned by the COVID- 19 pandemic.

According to him, the platform would provide a major avenue for other small businesses in the industry to grow.

"This is an excellent innovation, a service that leverages smoothly on technology and one that will be a tremendous boost to the hospitalit­y industry as a whole. And because I have checked it out myself, I can say that my Aura experience has been quite good,” Osinbajo said.

Guests had the opportunit­y to explore various activities that highlights the three touch points of Aura; which include homes, food and experience­s during the experienti­al event.

Through Aura, Transcorp Hotels seeks to transform the travel and tourism industry in Africa by focusing on important components of travel – where you stay, what you eat, and how you spend your time while putting memorable experience­s at the centre.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp Hotels Plc, Dupe Olusola said the launch of Aura remains a bright spot for the company following a year where the hospitalit­y sector was severely affected by the pandemic.

She said the digital platform was an important part of the firm's strategy to grow domestic tourism and travel as well as differenti­ating its offerings to capture returning travel demand, as access to the COVID- 19 vaccine, continues to improve.

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