Emirates, a global connector of people and places, has recognised its top travel agents for their contribution to the airline’s success at a recent gala dinner to celebrate 10 years of operations in Nigeria.
The event, held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Lagos, also comes ahead of Emirates’ linked service to Abuja and Kano slated for August 1, 2014.
Emirates started operations to Lagos on January 2, 2004 with a four times weekly flight that was linked with Accra in Ghana, using an A330-200 aircraft. Today the airline operates double daily flights between Dubai and Lagos with the larger Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft.
The airline’s freight division, Emirates SkyCargo, also introduced a scheduled freighter service to Kano in October 2013.
Speaking at the event, Manoj Nair, Emirates’ Regional Manager for West Africa, said, “Our growth in Nigeria over the last 10 years has been very positive. According to the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy, the value of bilateral trade between Nigeria and the U.A.E increased from $US106 million at the start of Emirates’ services in 2004, to $US857 million in 2009. This represents a 710 percent increase in a five-year period”.
Excited about the launch of flights to Abuja and Kano, Nair said the launch would provide Nigerian travellers even greater convenience and comfort to access Emirates’ worldwide network through its Dubai hub, particularly to destinations in the Middle East and Asia Pacific. It will also further boost tourism and create business opportunities.
Nair also acknowledged the travel trade and its customers for their support and contribution in making Emirates a success in Nigeria.
More than 20 awards across eight categories were presented to travel agents in recognition of their contributions over the past years. In the first category – Top Agent Award, GoodnewsTravels and Tours Limited won the Platinum Award, while God’s Power Travel Agency went home with the Gold Award. With the Platinum Award, Goodnews Travels and Tours Limited grabbed two business class tickets to Dubai and two nights in Medinah Jumeirah while the Gold Award recipient got two business class tickets to Dubai and two nights in Atlantis De Palm. Aeroland Travels Nigeria Limited got silver.
Other awardees include: Finchglow Travels Limited, who won Gold for Outstanding Agent Award (First and Business Class); and Touchdown Travels, silver. Wakanow.com won the Emerging Agent Award, while Tour Brokers International Limited won the Leisure Markets/Special Segments Agent. In Corporate Agent category, Quantum Travels Nigeria Limited grabbed Platinum; Touchdown Travels secured Gold while Hogg Robinson Group got Silver.
Also, among the award winners were Quantum Travels Nigeria Limited who won the outstanding agent award for Dubai; Dragon Phoenix Travels got the best ethnic agent for China; Satguru Investment Nigeria Limited got Gold Award for India and Pointview Travel Limited received silver award for India. The last category awardees – Best Agent Awards, in recognition of Exceptional Performance include: Allstates Travel and Tours Limited; Masarrah Nigeria Limited; Tafsan Tours and Travels Limited; Dees Travels and Tours Limited; Rewards Travel and Tours Limited; Peacock Travels and Tours Nigeria Limited; Silhouette Travels and Tours Limited; Gem Travels and Tours; Now Travel and Tours and Visa Travels and Tours Limited.
