LAGOS – African Travel Times, a Lagos-based travel and tourism publication, on Friday said it had [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]instituted awards to encourage private-sector participation in the tourism industry.
Mr Lucky George, the publisher of the magazine, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that [pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]the inaugural award would hold at a later date this year.
“The award is to annually recognise excellence in the travel and tourism sector.
“A genuine and respected award in the industry is long overdue, especially in an industry that is
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[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”10″]service- based.
“It will form part of the publication’s annual travel and tourism dinner, a special event to bring together industry practitioners,
suppliers and related establishments.
“The inaugural edition will recognise organisations and individuals that made giant strides in the industry in the out-going year,’’ George said.
The publisher also said that the awards would adopt an approach different from the norm in its selection process.
“It is wrong for inexperienced people that lack the technicality of how the travel and tourism industry operates to select the best hotel, restaurant and even the best airline in an operating environment.
`So, winners of the awards will be selected by professionals in the various subsectors,’’ he said.
George said his organisation had listed some recipients in three categories – Transport, Hotels and Personality awards – for the forthcoming maiden edition.
In Transport award are: God Is Good Motors as the “Best Emerging Transport Company’’, while ABC Transport Plc was chosen the “Best Family Friendly Transport Company.’’
In the Hotel award are: Carnival Calabar, “Best Domestic Tourism Product,’’ Eko Hotel & Suites, “Most Supportive Travel and Tourism Organisation,’’ and Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt, the “Most Resilient Performance Award.’’
For Personality awards are: Mrs Sally Mbanefo, the Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, as the
“Tourism Personality of the Year,’’ and Gov. Godswill Akpabio, for Transforming Akwa Ibom into an emerging destination.
NAN reports that the publication began operation in 2011. (NAN)