Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/101952
ICI •Pg_43-58__BMT_pg86-162 12/21/12 1:44 AM Page 45 F RO M T H E M OT H E R L A N D NIGERIA TOURISM DELEGATION COMPLETES SUCCESSFUL ROADSHOW TO DEVELOP TOURISM FROM THE U.S. MARKET The director-general of the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation, along with several key delegates from Nigeria, recently wrapped up a nine-day road show throughout the U.S. in an effort to bolster tourism to the destination. The tour, which included stops in Jacksonville, FL, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., featured visits with significant representatives from U.S. media, sports and travel organizations. During the Nigeria Tourism road show, delegates from the destination met with American contacts from multiple outlets, including: the PGA Tour, to discuss developing golf tourism opportunities in Nigeria; Nigerian basketball players Nicky Anosike and Nneka Ogwumike from the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks; Peter Greenberg, travel editor for CBS News; representatives from the Los Angeles Times, CNN Travel, Lonely Planet Television, the Washington Diplomat, Sports Travel magazine, The Africa Channel, All Africa, and Black Meetings & Tourism; AEG Entertainment; tour operators Cox and Kings and African Travel; leadership from the Corporate Council on Africa and the National Tour Association; an interviewer from Travelmole; and the Honorable Josh Cohen, mayor of Annapolis, capital of the state of Maryland and home to the Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial, which commemorates the place of arrival of Kunta Kinte to the New World. & Tourism publishers Gloria "We are delighted and proud to introduce Nigeria's rich assets to so many noteworthy Black Meeting with Director GeneralSolomon andOtunba Herbert meet Olusegun people in the U.S. market," said Olusegun Otunba Runsewe, director-general, Nigeria Runsewe. Tourism Development Corporation. "This road show has been a wonderful experience and we see many great things to come between the U.S. and Nigeria for travelers of all types, from business to pleasure." Nigeria, the most populous West African coastal nation, offers travelers spectacular beaches, unique wildlife and vast expanses of unspoiled nature. Visitors can explore fascinating cultural heritage from one of the primary sources of the African diaspora, a vibrant natural environment of mangroves, rainforests, rich savannah plains, mountain ranges, and hundreds of lakes, rivers and waterfalls; as well as the rapidly growing cities where old blends with new. "We strongly believe that the history of African-Americans can be traced to Nigeria and thus we will be promoting the theme, 'Nigeria: Our History is Your History,'" Runsewe stated. Nigeria Tourism's integrated marketing campaign will launch late this fall in select cities throughout the U.S. The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) is responsible for developing and facilitating tourism resources within Nigeria, as well as promoting inbound tourism from around the world to Nigeria, "the Pride of Africa." For more information about the NTDC, visit www.tourism.gov.ng. ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES' INAUGURAL FLIGHT OF AFRICA'S FIRST ' DREAMLINER' SALUTES TANZANIA'S MT. KILIMANJARO On August 18, 2012, Ethiopian Airlines saluted Tanzania's Mt. Kilimanjaro in its inaugural flight of its Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner by circling around Tanzania's world famous Mt. Kilimanjaro, the highest free standing mountain in the world. The Ethiopian Airlines' inaugural Dreamliner "flyover" carried 270 VIPs including diplomats, government officials, travel industry representatives and press. According to the Ethiopian Airlines country manager in Dar es Tanzania's world famous Mt. Kilimanjaro Salaam, Ms. Milat Mekonnen, "Mt. Kilimanjaro was selected for this honor and recognition because Ethiopian Airlines has been operating in Tanzania for the past 40 years with Arusha (Kilimanjaro International Airport) being one of the airline's first destinations in Africa." Dr. Aloyce Nzuki, managing director, Tanzania Tourist Board (TTB), added, "We are thrilled that Ethiopian Airlines recognizes the importance and popularity of Destination Tanzania by honoring us in this way. TTB appreciates the Airlines' continual support in providing an excellent and convenient service from all over the world, thereby being a major contributing factor to Tanzania's booming tourism." The Ethiopian Airlines' Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner dubbed "Africa First," is the first airline in the world outside Japan and ahead of any airline in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East to operate the Dreamliner. BM&T ••• September/October 2012••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 45