NANTA takes Nigeria’s massive leisure market to Safari Valley

The National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies, (NANTA), is set to hold its Executive Council Retreat in Ghana, with Safari World lavishly rolling out the red carpet for the 7-day familiarisation and business mission.

The visit, supported by Ibom Air; the official carrier is themed “Africa for Africa: Tourism, Unity and Shared Growth” and is expected to bring together NANTA’s national executives, and key tourism stakeholders from Nigeria to experience the rich Safari World tourism offerings in Ghana.

According to details released by the organisers, Safari World will serve as the host facility for the engagement, which aims to deepen bilateral tourism trade, foster B2B partnerships, and explore joint destination marketing opportunities between the two West African giants, with NANTA pushing the brand into the huge Nigeria leisure tourism market

Speaking ahead of the retreat, NANTA leadership said the mission is not a leisure trip, but a deliberate step to implement and expand the association’s marketing advocacy for brands across the borders.

“Nigeria and Ghana share history, culture, trade and people, and hence, the future of our tourism cannot be built in silos. NANTA president, Yinka Folami who is leading the team out of Lagos on Friday afternoon to Ghana stated. “This retreat is about moving from policy to practice — creating real products, real partnerships, and real movement of travelers between Accra and Lagos.”

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The Executive Council will use the platform to hold strategic meetings with Ghanaian counterparts, visit key tourism sites around Safari Valley, and participate in cultural exchange activities, including a symbolic Jollof diplomacy event.

Industry observers note that the retreat comes at a critical time as both countries push to maximize opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, and to reduce barriers to intra-African travel.

Safari World, known for its eco-tourism offerings and conference facilities, was chosen for its capacity to host high-level deliberations while showcasing Ghana’s nature-based tourism products to the Nigerian delegation.

The NANTA mission is expected to also address issues of Afrophobia, visa facilitation, and air connectivity — with Ibom Air’s involvement seen as a major boost for direct travel between both countries.

The association says the outcome of the retreat will feed into a broader plan to position Safari World in Ghana as a top destination in West Africa

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha

Ifeoma Okeke-Korieocha is the Aviation Correspondent at BusinessDay Media Limited, publishers of BusinessDay Newspapers. She is also the Deputy Editor, BusinessDay Weekender Magazine, the Saturday Weekend edition of BusinessDay. She holds a BSC in Mass Communication from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka and a Masters degree in Marketing at the University of Lagos. As the lead writer on the aviation desk, Ifeoma is responsible and in charge of the three weekly aviation and travel pages in BusinessDay and BDSunday. She also overseas and edits all pages of BusinessDay Saturday Weekender. She has written various investigative, features and news stories in aviation and business related issues and has been severally nominated for award in the category of Aviation Writer of the Year by the Nigeria Media Nite-Out awards; one of the Nigeria’s most prestigious media awards ceremonies. Ifeoma is a one-time winner of the prestigious Nigeria Media Merit Award under the 'Aviation Writer of the Year' Category. She is the 2025 Eloy Award winner under the Print Media Journalist category. She has undergone several journalism trainings by various prestigious organisations. Ifeoma is also a fellow of the Female Reporters Leadership Fellowship of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.