TRAVEL AGENCIES SEEK GROWTH OF AVIATION INDUSTRY

The Federal Government will actively support the use of public private partnership to develop infrastructure in the aviation industry, Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, has said.

Receiving executive members of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies led by its National President, Mr Bankole Bernard, at State House, Abuja, Adesina said the administration of President Buhari would create the right policies and enabling environment for businesses to thrive in Nigeria.

The President’s spokesman told members of the association that the Federal Government was eager to implement policies to reduce dependency on oil and has identified tourism as a key sector for job creation and economic growth.

Adesina received a presentation from the association on the situation in the industry and promised to transmit their observations to the President.

Earlier, Bernard had stressed the need for the Federal Government to find a solution to recent trends, which led to the exit of foreign airlines in the country and job losses in the industry.

Describing travel agencies as key stakeholders in the downstream sector of the aviation industry, Bernard noted that they were in a privileged position to promote tourism in Nigeria as an alternative revenue earner for the country.

He asked the Federal Government to halt the sale of tickets in dollars by foreign airlines because it was putting more pressure on the naira.
Bernard, who commended President Buhari for focusing more on the non-oil sector to grow the economy, pledged the association’s support for the current administration’s special intervention efforts to create jobs and reduce unemployment in the country.

Abiodun Oladunjoye
For: Office of the Special Adviser to the President (Media & Publicity)
July 22, 2016