The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) on Monday confirmed its strategic participation as a registered exhibitor at the November 5th to 7th World Travel Market ( WTM) with a prolific and innovative hashtag, capturing its massive membership presence and marketing reach.

The beautiful electronic flyer design rolled out from the stable of the association public relations officer, Mrs Adeola Adewole, amply signifies the intent of the association leadership to maximise the full potential of digital technology in marketing communications as nanta members who have registered and confirmed their participation, are encouraged to further escalate their brand and organisational skills through the coloured electronic flyer embossed by the a colourful wtm logo, indicating NANTA registered pavilion for easy location for trade enquiries and information about Nigeria cultural tourism products and offerings.

The association, apart from the “I will be at WTM,” will weekly unveil additional hashtags to drive robust digital marketing presence and reach, targeting foreign trade opportunities interested in Nigeria cultural tourism market and in addition to tagging global tourism groups and tourism platforms thus saturating global media space with nanta’s exponential hunt for corporate communities and individuals on search engines looking for creative marketing links and ready markets.

On its wtm delegates platform, about a hundred members of the association with visas and confirmed hotel bookings have embraced the NANTA/WTM hashtag train with their pictures and agency’s identity, flourishing their Facebook, Instagram and other social media handles, deliberately tagging their vast local and international contacts which has endeared the association to the Reeds exhibition, organisers of the biggest global tourism trade event.

The reeds exhibition organisation urged participating individuals, trade groups, and exhibiting nations to the November 2024 event slated for excel London to invite friends and associates to join the happy world of cultural tourism to mingle, buy offering packages and share experiences from diverse cultures and peoples from over hundred countries.

Yinka Folami, President of NANTA, stated that the commitment of nanta to Nigeria cultural tourism promotion is unquestionable and a selfless determination to put Nigeria first before personal or group gain

“I have heard about people questioning our intentional patriotic efforts, and my answer is that we as Nigerians must support our country and people before we can be taken seriously. Many years ago, most of our nanta icons were invited by foreign airlines, all expenses paid to come to wtm and under study how to leverage on the opportunities and contacts at the trade event in order to help sell Nigeria to the world. Those were the good old days when our principals were more Nigeria centric, but things have changed, and we in nanta must take the initiative to revive and sustain the presence of Nigerian cultural tourism beyond our shores.”

Susan Akporiaye, the immediate past president of NANTA, who drove the NANTA WTM mission during her tenure as a deliverable tailwind string of economic gain for nanta members, expressed happiness at the participation of nanta members this year for the third time, which promises to be bigger and better.

“It’s a revolution, and we are happy for the massive interest and support from our members. We are also happy to have awakened the consciousness of Nigerians to the need to put our country above our anxieties and worries. We are not in competition with our country or any trade groups. I believe someone, a group, should show the way when things are down and nanta has burned candles, made huge sacrifices, and shown absolute patriotism and pride in what is ours, our culture and creative economy,” Akporiaye said.

Pastor (Mrs) Chinyere Umeasiegbu, NANTA’s first national deputy president, who is coordinating the groundswell participation of nanta family at WTM, disclosed that the number of NANTA members heading to the global tourism trade event may hit an all time high of about two hundred if those awaiting their visas scale through.

“Marketing Nigeria destination at WTM this year is a game of numbers, and we intend to positively as we always done to bring the world to our exhibition stand. It is a mission of possibilities, and we are determined to lead from the front. This is not a jamboree or recreational outing. It is strictly serious business to showcase Nigeria and what we can do and trust our members, the Nigerian community in the UK has been mobilised to storm our pavilion and support our efforts to make Nigeria a preferred destination,” she said.