Tough visa regime tops travel professionals discussions in Istanbul 

A NEW DAWN FOR BOTH NIGERIANS AND TURKISH NATIONALS IS IN THE OFFING AS THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA TRAVEL AGENCIES (NANTA) AND ITS TURKISH COUNTERPART HAVE ENGAGED IN SERIES OF DISCUSSIONS ON EXPLORING TRADE RELATIONS AND EASE OF DOING BUSINESS WITH AN UNDERSTANDING TO PREVAIL ON THE GOVERNMENTS OF BOTH COUNTRIES TO ADDRESS THE PREVAILING STRINGENT VISA REGIME THAT HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR HIGH VOLUME OF VISITORS TO BOTH COUTNRIES…

 

Nigerian travel trade professionals and their counterparts in Istanbul, Türkey, jointly bemoaned the visa regimes by both countries, praying for waivers and relaxation of entry regimes into Nigeria and Turkey in order to speed up trade and tourism

National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) in its first historic collaboration meeting yesterday in Istanbul, with the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) appealed for the intervention of its Turkish sister body to help guide the Turkish government to relax the strict visa regime for Nigerian travellers, particularly those who are in possession of valid visas from the United Kingdom, Schengen countries, Canada and US, to allow them access visa on arrival without stress or the electronic visa.

Similarly, the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) tabled before NANTA the same constraints experienced by Turkish investors and tourists wishing to visit Nigeria, noting that the tough visa  ecosystem of Nigeria has impacted negatively on traffic from Turkey to Nigeria.

The two influential trade groups, after extensive deliberations covering mutual trade opportunities and challenges, agreed to table the feedback to their relevant and appropriate local authorities, promising to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to partner and support each other on tourism exchange, training and retraining, and to forge a united voice on global travel trade matters and to ensure improved revenue yields through tourism for the two nations.

NANTA, led by its National President, Mr Yinka Folami, expressed happiness at the reception and hospitality of TURSAB leadership. Following this, he extended a formal invitation to the Association’s entire leadership its 50th anniversary celebration holding in 2026

“We are pleased to be here and greatly appreciate your hospitality to my team.  This meeting is hugely successful and impactful and we assure you that we will reach out to our home government over the visa challenges experienced by the good people of the republic of Turkey and again will use this opportunity to announce that Turkish Airlines is the official partner Airline for our 50th anniversary next year. Likewise, we also graciously invite you and your leadership to the event,” said Folami.

Meanwhile, the Vice President TURSAB, Mr Davut Gunaydin, in his remarks, also expressed the same sentiments and wishes to see more Nigerians visit Türkey, worried by the very low traffic from Nigeria, a country, which yearly welcomes close to 36 million visitors from all over the world.

“We have about 6, 000 visitors from Spain, about same number visitors from Italy but we are worried at the near zero tourism traffic from Nigeria, with over 200 million population and noted all over the world for being one of the nations with the most travelled people. We want NANTA to help us change the tide, while we too will drive similar campaigns in our country for visits to Nigeria since we share strong bonds in culture, heritage tourism, and hospitality.”

 

Throwing more light on the poor visa approvals for Nigerians wishing to visit Turkey, Gunaydin disclosed that some Nigerians disappeared after the expiration of their visa. He requested that NANTA should profile and recommend Nigerian visitors wishing to visit the country to stem the tide of Nigerians absconding once inside Turkey as such incidents in the past have sadly contributed to the present challenge in assessing visas to Turkey by Nigerians.

The meeting held at the office of the Association located in the prestigious Besikta area in Istanbul, was attended by the Turkish Airlines Sales Operations Manager in Nigeria, Mr Hakim Cakar, representing the airline (through his Country Manager in Nigeria, Mr. Lokman Balkan), which brokered the groundbreaking meeting by the two sister organisations.

In attendance also were other members of NANTA’s delegation, which include; the First Deputy President, Mrs Chinyere Umeasiegbu, Second Deputy President, Dr Olatokunbo Dagunduro, Vice Presidents of Abuja and North respectively, Mrs Kemabonta Uloma Ibiwari and Mohammed Nasir Chamo.

Others are; Vice President, Lagos Zone Mr Yinka Olapade, Vice President, Western Zone, Mr Babatunde Adesokan, Financial Secretary, Mr Yinka Ladipo, Publicity Secretary, Mrs Lola Adewole, National Internal Auditor, Johnson Ugochukwu and Chief Administrative Officer Mr Stanley Diagi.

 

While from the 18, 000 members of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies led by the Vice President, Gunaydin, are Orhan Sancar, Head of Incoming Tourism Expert Committee; Kemal Ertem, Head, Outgoing Tourism Expert Committee; Ceylan Uraz Yigiterhan, Director, Expert Committee and Corporate Events; and Yildirim Tas, Executive Board Member.