'Jollof rice War' is the craziest travel event I attended! - Microbiologist Olubunmi Olaniyi
Olubunmi Balqees Olaniyi-Her passion for travel business started during her time working at Peacock Travels and Tours
-Calls on Govt to intensify their efforts at solving issues of insecurity as it negatively impacts tourism businesses the most
"This unique aspect of the last Akwaaba African Travel expo actually got me off my feet and remains indelible in my memory", she asserts with gusto.
It is obvious today that the travel and tourism industry in Nigeria is one which boasts of people cutting across a wide spectrum of careers melting into the industry and making a success out of it while inspiring more younger practitioners into the business.
Interestingly, these group of people entering the industry are gradually dominating the narratives. The amiable Olubunmi Balqees Olaniyi is one of such stars, shining from the city of Abuja.
Olubunmi Balqees Olaniyi (DTTM, DFTI, MITPN), is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Olabaf Travels and Tours located in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. With a degree in Microbiology from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, she was born in Ipetu-Ijesha, Osun State, but a native of Iseyin LGA of Oyo State, Nigeria.
The Microbiologist turned travel and tours businesswoman shares with zest her sojourn into travel and tours business.
"My passion for the Travel and Tourism Industry started few years after my University education. I was able to join a travel agency known as Peacock Travels and Tours where I worked for four years as a Business Development Executive.
Peacock Travels and Tours thus became my training and discovery ground. In the course of carrying out my duties as Business Development officer, I learnt more about the industry and had the opportunity of meeting new people. This prompted me to start my own company known as Olabaf Travels & Tour, a subsidiary of Olabaf Unique Synergy Services Limited, after my four years sojourn in Peacock Travels and Tours Limited.
Being a Microbiologist by training, Olubunmi shares how her desire to excel in the travel and tours business drove her to pursue various trainings in tourism to better position for the challenges of successfully running her business.
"From 2013 to date, the company and I have been growing in achievements and development. I have embarked on personal development through studies in order to understand the Industry and the business better. I have IATA DIPLOMA in Foundation Tourism and Hospitality (awarded by the International Air Transport Association, IATA, Canada) in 2014. After this first professional certificate, I obtained the Advanced Diploma in Managing the Travel Business in the year 2021."
Other Certificates and Professional Awards include Certificate of Achievement in Tour Packaging from Exodus International Aviation Academy in 2018. She also bagged the Award of Excellence as one of Tourism 100 Personality in 2019. She received the Nigeria Tourism Specialist Certificate by Naija 7 Wonders in 2021.
A thorough bred professional who loves to walk by the rules, she is a member of several Associations related to travel, tourism and hospitality. She is a member of National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA); Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP); the Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN) and I am also a member of Skal International Club, Abuja Chapter.
Speaking on her unrelenting quest for relevance, she explained that, "Furthermore, I have attended and participated in several local and international events like the World Travel Market Shows in London in the year 2019, Indaba in Durban, South Africa in 2019, AKWAABA Travel Market in Lagos and the Abuja Jabamah in Abuja Nigeria and several others."
Responding on the current challenges facing the travel and tourism business in Nigeria and the way forward, Olubunmi tapped on the need for members to be creative enough in their approach to their businesses.
"One of the ways forward for travel business in Nigeria is to be creative and upscale our business. Technology has taken over the entire system, so we should not allow the new norm to over shadow us . We should try to upscale and look inwards for new opportunities."
Olubunmi called on "The government to develop and invest in both the tapped and the untapped destinations in Nigeria and join hands with the Tourism Sector in promoting Nigeria as a global tourist destination. Promoting our social and cultural festivals across the country should be included too.
"This will place us in high pedestal globally and will contribute immensely towards improvement of our national economy and growth of the tourism business."
She equally appealed to the government to intensify efforts at solving the security issues bedeviling the country.
"Government should intensify efforts on changing the narrative on the issue of insecurity in Nigeria.
"Nigerians are beginning to be more patriotic towards indigenous tourism but the issue of insecurity is one of the major problems causing set back in the Travels and Tourism business in Nigeria."
Responding to how she perceives herself within the industry, she takes a humble approach, saying that, "I should call my self one of the luckiest as ‘I came late’ but got more.
Speaking about her preferred Travel exhibitions she has attended, she explains that Akwaaba Travel Exhibition has been impressive for her with positive impacts on her business.
"I heard about Akwaaba even before having the privilege of meeting the founder and kept wondering how massive the event would be. I was determined and eager to attend Akwaaba which I believe will answer most of my burning questions out of curiosity.
"I was so amazed and ultimately fulfilled by attending the event and it has really helped me and my business greatly in the area of Networking. I was able to meet different set of people from different parts of the world.
"This has impacted greatly on my business because I could relate with Destination Marketing Company across the globe. There I met, spent time and shared experiences with my other colleagues in the industry. It’s an event I will keep looking forward to for many years to come."
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I'm really impressed, keep it up ma������
ReplyDeleteMore Grace And wisdom Ma'am 🔥💪
ReplyDelete