By Dickson Omobola

About 89 members of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies, NANTA, have received licences as Gambia Tourism Destination Specialists from the Gambia Institute of  Tourism and Hospitality.

The licences were received after four days of intense training that covered sales and marketing, destination management and market penetration strategies, new trends in global travel and tourism challenges and opportunities, and strategic skills to Improve regional and intra-African  commerce and tourism trade.

A member of the Tourism Committee for the Gambian Parliament, Alieu Baldeh, said he was impressed with the seriousness and determination of the trainees, assuring them of the support and encouragement by the Gambian government and parliament.

He said: ” We see cultural tourism as our main revenue commodity, and by the grace of God, all of you here will help Gambia tourism to become a household name in Nigeria nay Africa. Your reputation as a responsible association of professionals proceeds  you, and by the grace of God,  all of you shall return home to your destination safely.”

NANTA President, Yinka Folami, in his remarks, reiterated the importance of training and retraining exposure,  urging the new destination specialists not to rest on their oars.

According to him, those who fail to seek knowledge would invariably meet with challenges in a dynamic and ever-evolving travel and tourism industry.

He said: “Do not hide your certificates in a cupboard or merely display it on your walls, but intentionally go out there and put the knowledge and experiences gained here to use, and help change the tourism and commerce trade narratives between Nigeria and Gambia.”