The Lagos Zone of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) held its first business development workshop on Thursday, April 30, focusing on strategic approaches to running travel agencies in a changing business environment.
The workshop, themed “Strategic Business Development for Travel Agencies: A Practical Approach,” brought together industry professionals to examine how Nigerian travel agencies can adapt their operations, improve efficiency, and build long-term customer relationships.
The initiative, led by Lagos Zonal Vice President Yinka Olapade, FCA, is part of the zone’s broader effort to promote ongoing professional development and align local practices with global standards.
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The event featured three sessions delivered by Bankole Bernard, the GMD of Finchglow Holidays and former National President of NANTA, who spoke on market positioning and business growth. He shared lessons from his experience building a travel business, stressing the importance of integrity, adaptability, and professionalism.
David Lamidi, managing director of Diamond and Pearls, addressed operational efficiency, pointing to the role of internal processes, documentation, and adherence to SOPs in sustaining business performance. Drawing from his experience at Diamond and Pearls, he stressed the importance of building integrity in a sector plagued by unethical practices—like agents falsifying documents for visa applications, which ruins clients’ futures.
He noted that his company took a different path, choosing instead to “clean up” clients’ profiles, guide them to build legitimate structures, and eventually secure visas through transparent means. He explained that agents must specialize—whether in medical, sport, or cultural tourism—and not try to do everything.
The final session was led by Tunde Elegbede, PhD, a senior lecturer and HR expert from the University of Lagos. He explored how customer satisfaction and employee engagement are interlinked. Elegbede emphasized the need for travel agencies to distinguish between internal and external customers and highlighted emotional intelligence as a critical skill for business leaders.
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His session focused on understanding employee behaviour, managing unhappy workers, promoting work-life balance, and implementing flexible work arrangements, arguing that a satisfied workforce is essential for delivering consistent customer service and long-term business sustainability.
The event drew attendance from NANTA’s national and zonal leadership, including NANTA’s national president, Yinka Folami; the national financial secretary, Mr. Ladipo; and national PRO, Lola Adewole. The Lagos Zone Executive team was also represented, with the treasurer, Adekunle Oluwole; internal auditor, Toyin Ojo; secretary, Chinwe Eluhie; and financial secretary, Toluwalope Ola, all physically present.
In his remarks, Olapade said the workshop was a starting point for further capacity-building programs to help members respond more effectively to changes in the travel sector.
