At the 22nd Akwaaba African Travel Market in Lagos, Fatima Idrissa, Chief Executive Officer of Kolekole Tours and Safari, is pushing for stronger collaboration between West and East African tourism stakeholders to bring more than 200 Zanzibar tour operators into the Nigerian market.
In an exclusive interview at the fair, Fatima said her first appearance at Akwaaba – now in its 22nd edition – has opened her eyes to the potential for cross-border partnerships.
Established 5 years ago and headquartered in Tanzania with operations in Kenya and Rwanda, Kolekole Tours and Safari specializes in 5 destinations – Tanzania, Zanzibar, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.
According to her, the company provides end-to-end services including visa assistance, airport pick-up and drop-off, transportation, hotel reservations and customized itineraries, with options across 3 categories – 3-star, 4-star and 5-star hotels.
She said the company works closely with key hospitality partners including Tolwa Hotel and Spa to deliver accommodation and destination services.
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Although Kolekole does not currently have a branch in Nigeria, Fatima said being based in East Africa gives the team first-hand knowledge to tailor travel to individual needs rather than selling standard packages.
Fatima, who is also a board member of the Zanzibar Association of Tour Operators, said Zanzibar has over 200 tour operators and that Akwaaba could achieve bigger East African participation through bloc engagement.
She called on Akwaaba organizers to engage directly with the Zanzibar Association of Tour Operators and consider visiting Zanzibar to meet tour operators, hotel associations and hospitality businesses.
Zanzibar, she noted, is witnessing expansion in its tourism sector, with new hotels including 5-star properties under development, creating fresh opportunities for Nigerian and other international travel businesses.
Fatima added that she is optimistic that in the next 10 years, Akwaaba could grow beyond hotel facilities into a dedicated permanent venue, creating a larger platform for destinations, hotels, airlines and tour operators.
