Fola Akinboro is currently the chief executive officer (CEO) of ajala.ng, an online travel agency in Lagos, Nigeria. She is an experienced Aviation Profession in Nigeria having worked with various national and international brands. She has creatively evolved into becoming a seasoned Aviation expert through the provision of bespoke services in Customer Service, Ticketing, Marketing, Partnership, Sponsorship and Advisory services in the leisure, travel and tour industry in various capacities. In this interview with IFEOMA OKEKE, she speaks about the unique offerings of ajala.ng and its new portal. Excerpts.
What does the new Ajala.ng website offer?
The new ajala.ng website is more dynamic and it provides better engaging web experience on a host of varied devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops and also on all operating systems. This amazing experience puts emphasis on the products and services we have to offer making the customers’ journey seamless and convenient on ajala.ng. Some of the key offerings include:
Great travel deals, amazing vacation packages and awesome hotel rates – for the purpose of the new ajala.ng portal launch, we have made available on the website remarkable bargain and mouth-watering deals on all our product offerings to further provide quality experience for our customers and trade partners alike
Effective Payment option – this is a core principle in ajala.ng’s functionality providing our customers with well-integrated, user-friendly payments methods. Currently we have integrated the website with Paystack’s platform to facilitate payment and GTPay option that allows for Bank transfer to provide flexibility to our esteemed customers. Pertinent to note also is that the new ajala.ng stores your preferred payment option to create a level of ease for our returning customers.
Website speed – because we understand the importance of fast load time, the new portal is designed to speed up the customers access to the contents on the site.
How long had ajala.ng operated and what have been the success stories since you commenced operations?
We commenced operation about four years ago and thus far the journey has been exciting. We have recorded successes in terms of technology- with the launch of the new portal, customer service – we ensure our customers experience optimum service delivery either when engaging with our portal or when dealing with the customer care representatives. We also have built robust relationship with our service providers and our trade partners alike; this allows us access the best deals either in flights, hotel services or tour activities.
Can payment be made on this website anywhere in the world or is it just restricted to Nigeria?
The new portal has the capability to receive funds from anywhere in the world, this will be done at another phase of updating the site. Currently, payment is restricted to Nigeria for now
What destinations are featured on this website?
All destinations and all destinations combination are featured on the website, when you visit www.ajala.ng; you can explore amazing destinations and hotel options at best available fares.
Research shows that top destinations Nigerians love to travel include UAE, UK, and USA. What exceptional service is Ajala offering to cover these destinations?
Yes, the highlighted destinations are top routes for Nigerian travellers for various reasons. Almost every Nigerian family has one relative or the other in UK and USA hence travelling to these destinations is inevitable to holiday with family members. However, for the UAE, Dubai is the most visited Emirate largely for vacation or shopping. Also, the fact that the UAE visa is electronic hence the process and cost are minimal.
At ajala.ng, we plan bespoke travel packages that are pocket friendly, we listen to you and advise you based on your budget. We have signed partnership with Airlines, Hotels and Tour Operators in various countries in the world to access competitive deals that is made available on www.ajala.ng.
How does payment by installments work in ajala.ng and how can travellers benefit from this ideal?
We have a product called Ajala Pay Easy which allows for payment by instalment. With this alternative, customers can book special ticket deals with an initial non-refundable 30 percent deposit to confirm the ticket. Completion of payment is required at most two weeks before date of travel. The Ajala Pay Easy process include- the need to make reservation on the website; request Ajala Pay Easy package; agree to terms and conditions; make down payment of 30 percent.
Three years ago, airlines complained of foreign exchange constraints, making it very difficult for them to repatriate their earnings. This in the long run affected the downstream sector, such as the travel agents. The situation seems to be better now with forex being a bit stable. How has this stability affected your business?
The stability in the airline sector with respect to forex repatriation is a big relief indeed. Airlines have increased their capacity into the Country which in turn increases inventory and makes it easier to sell more seats to more customers. Such solidity in the economy also encourages more foreign investments creating more jobs, which strengthens earning potential of Nigerians and promotes more travel. By and large it is a win-win situation for all parties involved.
Since you started operations in Nigeria, what has been the major challenge and how have you managed them?
The major challenge has got to be the previous question – repatriation of foreign exchange constraints experienced by the airlines. This led to reduction in flights departing from the country and of course a reduction in seat available, we sold the reduced capacity on Airlines – a case of increased demand with less supply. However, the aviation industry is in a better place now with respect to funds repatriation.
Do you partner with airlines or destinations in a bid to deliver top-notch services to your clients?
Of course, that is the reason we are in business – to get our customers the most favourable and affordable local and international travel, hotel rates and tour activities. Our partnership with service providers in all the sphere of the travel business allows us access good rates that cannot be found elsewhere for our customers.
How will you compare the travel and tour business in Nigeria with what you find in more developed climes?
The travel and tour business in Nigeria is a fertile ground that has not been fully tilled. On the local sphere we seem to be improving however on the international level we are a work in progress.
From the local package perspective, it is easier to sell a holiday package to states within the country that takes care of transportation, either by road or air travel, hotel accommodation and tour activities that would be great fun to a Nigeria resident. Pitching the same package to an individual or family living outside the country to come holiday here might require more effort. Nigeria needs to be perceived and known as a tourist attraction by the international community to improve this trend.
