Ahead of the 20th edition of the Akwaaba African Travel Market, the biggest travel expo in West Africa, Fatima Garbati Tourism Outreach is expected to share a N5 million grant to participants at the expo.
“The whole idea is to support those who have a passion for tourism just like she did,” said the Outreach Team in a message to the organisers of Akwaaba African Travel Market.
The recipients of the grant will be chosen by the organisers of Akwaaba.
Late Mrs Fatima Garbati, an African Travel 100 award winner, last served at the NATOP AGM in Ile-Ife in 2019. She was a former President of NATOP, a former Deputy President of FTAN, a Deputy Director of Marketing at Nigerian Airways and a GM at NCAA Consumer Protection Unit.
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She nurtured NATOP and led the association to the opening of the Calabar Tourism project that birthed the carnival.
“We have chosen 10 tourism and travel institutes that will benefit from all over the country. The grant will go to the tourism departments and the best graduating students in the departments,” said Ikechi Uko, the organiser of Akwaaba.
He added that 10 travel clubs that promoted tours among the youth would also be given grants and that there would be a raffle draw for young tour operators and the winners would also be given cash grants.
The President of NATOP will nominate a tour operator to benefit from the grant. Five tourism journalists will be given grants too. An annual award, “Fatima Garbati Award for Tourism Journalism”, will be inaugurated in her memory.
The 20th edition of the Akwaaba African Travel Market, holding from September 22 to 24, 2024, in Lagos, will host several high-profile newcomers making their debut.
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