The Eastern Zone of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) has announced the commencement of its landmark 11-State Executive Council (EXCO) Tour, a strategic initiative designed to deepen stakeholder engagement, strengthen industry partnerships, promote tourism development, and expand trade and travel opportunities across the region.
The tour officially begins on June 5, 2026, with visits to Rivers and Bayelsa States, and will subsequently cover Abia, Cross River, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, Edo, Anambra, Delta, and Akwa Ibom States.
According to the Eastern Zone leadership, the tour is aimed at fostering stronger collaboration between government institutions, tourism stakeholders, aviation agencies, business communities, and NANTA members while positioning the Eastern Zone as a major hub for tourism, investment, conferences, and inbound travel.
Speaking on the initiative, the Eastern Zone Executive Council described the tour as a deliberate effort to connect directly with stakeholders, identify opportunities and challenges within the industry, strengthen grassroots membership participation, and build sustainable partnerships capable of driving economic growth through tourism and travel.
As part of the tour, the Executive Council will undertake high-level engagements with state tourism ministries, aviation agencies including the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), hospitality operators, investors, and members of the media.
The schedule includes stakeholder forums, tourism investment roundtables, business networking sessions, site inspections, media briefings, and strategic discussions on tourism promotion, aviation collaboration, trade expansion, and hospitality sector development.
The Rivers and Bayelsa leg of the tour, scheduled for June 5, will feature visits to tourism ministries, NCAA and airport authorities, SME meetings, investor roundtables, and media engagements. Abia State follows on June 8–9, with stakeholder forums and collaborative sessions aimed at enhancing tourism and business development.
Cross River State will host the delegation from June 11–13 for tourism investment forums, networking sessions, and stakeholder engagements. The team will proceed to Imo State on June 15–16 before continuing to Enugu and Ebonyi States from June 17–19 for a series of tourism development and stakeholder meetings.
The Edo State leg is scheduled for July 3–4, focusing on heritage tourism and trade development, while Anambra and Delta States will host the delegation on July 12 for grassroots membership drives and hospitality sector discussions. The date for the Akwa Ibom State visit will be announced later.
The tour is expected to deliver several outcomes, including stronger NANTA presence across the Eastern Zone, enhanced collaboration with government agencies and tourism stakeholders, increased membership growth and retention, expanded tourism and travel opportunities, and stronger partnerships within the aviation and hospitality sectors.
NANTA Eastern Zone called on government agencies, tourism operators, investors, development partners, industry stakeholders, and the media to support the initiative, describing it as a significant step toward building a more connected, competitive, and opportunity-driven travel ecosystem across the region.
For media inquiries and participation, interested stakeholders may contact via +234 703 217 0193 or nantaeast@gmail.com.
Connecting States, Uniting Members, Expanding Trade & Travel Opportunities
