TRAVEL AND TOURS CENTRE DEBUTS

THE Nigerian travel and tourism business seems to be growing by the day. Recently, a new firm, Travel and Tours Centre debuted on the scene, thereby increasing the number of indigenous companies in this interesting sector of the economy.

The new company which is located in the Surulere area of Lagos is presently affiliated to TouchDown Travels Limited, Nigeria's foremost travel company reputed to be the number one in terms of service and billings in the industry.

Speaking on the development, Yinka Folami, Chief Executive of Travel & Tours Centre, said the idea behind the floating of the company is to provide Nigerians with a hybrid travel and logistics management firm that is focused on travel support that goes beyond traditional ticketing.

According to him, experience has shown that the general disposition of service providers within the industry is mostly skewed towards addressing the technical component of service, while neglecting the tender issues of care for the customer.

And he should know better, being a veteran in the travel and tourism industry, and the service industry in general. Folami had between 2004 and 2006 worked at TouchDown Travels as Head, Corporate Strategy and Business Development. Prior to setting up Travel & Tours Centre, he was the Group Account Director at Insight Communications Limited, Nigeria's leading advertising company where he had overview responsibilities for client servicing.

'In 2006, I was engaged as a Group Accounts Director (GM Business Unit 1) at Insight Communications LTD, with responsibilities for business development and financial performance of my business unit. I have acquired the added skills for building ideas and developing immunity to pressure. This brought me into profound encounters with business professionalism, through the Czar (Biodun Shobanjo) and the 'Baale' (Jimi Awosika) of Advertising / Marketing and their impeccable structures for 'quest and service,' he said.

Folami has already set high standards for the young company. According to him, the company's vision is to become the foremost travel and tour support service provider, creating the most comfortable travel experience from Nigeria to the world.

To achieve this, he said, the company through its crop of highly motivated and experienced staff, will strive to main a continuous capacity for quality travel and logistical services, by being the quality reference in travel support in Lagos exit.

The company's services, he said, will include provision of quick access to the ticketing platforms of all operating international airlines from Nigeria at short notice, as well as ensuring priority on seat confirmation.

Others are ticketing and reservation, provision of in-house reservation and ticketing desk complete with printing system, trip protection through travel and medical security insurance, assistance in procurement of visas for both first and non-first timers, hotel reservation, packaged and dedicated tours, and tour escort, among others.