Outbound summer bookings soar on stable fares

With sustained stability in dollar/naira foreign exchange rates , many outbound tour operators and travel agents are beginning to witness impressive bookings from their Nigerian clients for the summer holiday abroad, than was the case this time last year.

The improving performance of the naira against the US dollar, has also induced cheaper airfares, competitive accommodation options and pocket-friendly tour packages, especially for would-be holiday makers who booked ahead, in the fear of the possibility of volatility in exchange rates during summer.
Comparing the volume of bookings from clients this time last year, with this year’s record, major outbound travel and tour operators note that they have recovered over 40 percent of their clients who couldn’t travel last summer, in the wake of the most astounding dollar volatility in the history of their businesses.
“I lost over N7 million last summer, to cancellations resulting from the inability of clients to buy dollars at N500 then. Even those who we thought were super-rich slowed it down and we were left at the mercy of partner hotels and airlines that were bent on collecting cancellation fees”, said Magnus Aniga, a Lagos-based travel agent.
As at June 20, 2017, Aniga’s Greenhill Tours has received full payment from 62 clients for tours in Dubai, London, Seychelles, Trinidad and Tobago, among other destinations for the summer holiday. He noted that over 80 percent of the bookings so far, are to destinations that are offering visa on arrival, particularly Dubai and Seychelles. Also attributing the development to cheaper fares, Aniga noted that this time last year, a return ticket to London cost between N700,000 and N1 million. Today, it has gone down to N400,000. The likes of Dubai, South Africa, according to him, cost from N200,000 while Kenya, Rwanda and Seychelles are far cheaper now, compared with the fares last summer. Some of these East African destinations are even cheaper than flying to Gambia and Senegal because of the difficulty in connecting West Africa by air.
Efetobo Awhana, managing director, Avantgarde Tours, who has also recorded an impressive increase in summer bookings, attributed the increasing outbound bookings for summer holidays to stable dollar/naira rates, settlement of the feud the over debts owned airlines and the subsequent stability in the airfares across board, as well as the recent improvement in the economy, unlike this time last year, when the economy was deep into recession.
“This year is better than last year, the dollar is more stable, rates are much lower, airlines are fully back to business, as no one is talking of leaving Nigeria, unlike this time last year, when a few left. So, Nigerians are back to the air”, Awhana said.
Mayegun Bello, a telecoms engineer, preferred East African destinations to South Africa because of the cheaper flights and visa on arrival. “My wife wanted us to go to Durban in South Africa, but the difficulty in getting visa and the relatively higher airfare made me change my mind because Kenya is cheaper and offers even more enthralling wildlife experience than South Africa”, Bello said.
Like Bello, Awhana explained that Nigerian visitors are often drawn to destinations such as Dubai, Kenya and even Rwanda, now, because of cost and the visa on arrival policies of these destinations. However, the news of the increasing volume of outbound tours for summer from Nigeria, is not well-received by some inbound tour operators.
Jemi Alade, CEO, Jemi Alade Tours, noted that domestic tourism has started picking up and Nigerians should in the spirit of buying made-in-Nigeria goods and services, patronise these domestic destinations, to further sustain the gains it made at the peak of dollar volatility last summer.
Alade, who recently took 20 Chinese tourists to Bida in Niger State for Durbar festival, insisted that Nigeria has enough attractions to host her citizens and foreigners but that the fad for foreign destination has not allowed them to explore these destinations.
“About 80 percent of my business is inbound, and I earn foreign exchange doing so. What is missing is government inviting people to come and explore the country’s tourism potential and not only business trips”, Alade said.
Ikechi Uko, CEO, Akwaaba African Travel Market, noted that though outbound tours are increasing, the development would not impact domestic tourism, which according to him, has taken off with speed.
“I have 20 products that are being marketed across the country this Sallah holiday and there are many young tour operators who are focusing only on domestic tours. They are leaving outbound to older tour operators and are getting more Nigerians to travel within the country than ever before. Domestic tourism is truly gaining traction”, Uko concluded.
Ayo Olumoko, CEO, Infogem, the marketers of the annual Osun Osogbo festival and deputy vice president, Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN), noted that hoteliers in Osogbo and tour operators are working hard to meet the accommodation target in this year’s edition of the UNESCO recognised event, as over 6,000 Nigerian and African Diaspora are expected.

 

OBINNA EMELIKE