The Eastern Zone of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) has announced the commencement of an 11-state Executive Council (EXCO) tour aimed at strengthening stakeholder engagement and boosting tourism, trade, and travel opportunities across the region.
The initiative, themed “Connecting States, Uniting Members, Expanding Trade & Travel Opportunities,” is scheduled to begin on June 5, 2026, with initial visits to Rivers and Bayelsa States. The tour will subsequently extend to Abia, Cross River, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Edo, Anambra, Delta, and Akwa Ibom States.
According to the association, the tour is designed as a strategic engagement platform to deepen collaboration among government institutions, tourism stakeholders, aviation agencies, business communities, and members of the association. It also aims to position the Eastern region as a leading destination for tourism, investment, conferences, and inbound travel.
NANTA’s Eastern Zone leadership explained that the initiative will provide an opportunity for direct engagement with key stakeholders, identification of industry challenges and opportunities, and strengthening of grassroots participation among members. It is also expected to foster sustainable partnerships that will drive economic growth through tourism and travel.
As part of the programme, the delegation will hold meetings with state ministries responsible for tourism, aviation agencies such as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), as well as hospitality operators, small and medium-scale enterprises, investors, and media organisations.
Activities lined up for the tour include stakeholder forums, tourism investment roundtables, business networking sessions, site inspections, media briefings, and strategic discussions focused on tourism promotion, aviation collaboration, trade expansion, and hospitality development.
The Rivers and Bayelsa leg will feature engagements with tourism ministries, airport authorities, SMEs, investors, and media stakeholders. The delegation will proceed to Abia State on June 8 and 9 for further collaborative sessions aimed at enhancing tourism and business growth.
Cross River State will host the team from June 11 to 13, focusing on tourism investment forums and stakeholder engagement. Visits to Imo, Enugu, and Ebonyi States are scheduled for June 15 to 19, while Edo State will host the delegation on July 3 and 4, with emphasis on heritage tourism and trade development.
Anambra and Delta States are scheduled for July 12 engagements, while the date for Akwa Ibom State will be announced later.
NANTA stated that the tour is expected to strengthen its presence across the Eastern Zone, increase membership growth and retention, expand tourism and travel opportunities, and deepen partnerships within the aviation and hospitality sectors.
The association also called on government agencies, tourism operators, investors, development partners, and media organisations to support the initiative, describing it as a major step toward building a more connected and competitive tourism ecosystem in the region.
It expressed optimism that the engagement will unlock new opportunities for investment, tourism development, and economic growth, while reinforcing the region’s position as a key player in Nigeria’s travel and tourism industry.
