In 1999 Travellers Magazine published its first Compilation of the Nigerian Top 100 Tourism Club.
The Compilation served the industry well as it provided a database of “Who is who” in Tourism Business in Nigeria.
Twenty (20) years after an update is needed.
Travellers Magazine is the First Travel Magazine in West Africa published since 1996.
The list of Top 100 Tourism personalities comprises Elders, Pioneers, Association heads, Young Tourism Promoters and Nigerian Winners of Africa Travel 100 Women Award and Tour Operators award. Below are the top players in the industry:
Elders
1. Chief Mike Amachree – Father of Tourism
2. Mr Femi Adefope
3. Mrs. Fatima Garbati – Former NATOP President.
Government / Allied
4. Alhaji Lai Mohammed – Minister of Information and Culture+
5. Grace Gekpe – Perm. Sec. Fed. Min. of Information and Culture
6. Otunba Olusegun Runsewe – DG, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC)
7. Folorunsho Folarin Coker – DG, NTDC
8. Steve Ayorinde – Hon. Commissioner of Tourism Lagos
9. Sally Mbanefo – Hon. Commissioner of Tourism – Anambra
10. Mr. Eric Anderson – Hon. Commissioner of Tourism CRS
11. Mr. Gabe Onah – Chairman Carnival Calabar
12. Mrs. Tamwakat Weli -. Hon. Commissioner of Tourism Plateau
13. Hon. Ahmad Rabiu – Hon. Comm. Of Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives & Tourism Kano State
14. Mrs Tonye-Briggs – Rivers State Commissioner
15. Turaki Nura kangiwa – SA Tourism Kebbi
16. John-Likita Best- SA Tourism Plateau
17. Mr Hloni Pitso – South African Tourism
18. Mohammed Tanko Kwajaffa – South African Tourism
19. Ken Aklah – SA Events Cross River State
20. Chief Ayo Olumoko – Osun Osogbo
21. Ebele Enemchukwu- Fmr Mrs Tourism United Nation
Africa Travel 100 Women
22. Ubongabasi Nseobot – Southern Sun Hotel
23. Stella Fubara – Head Africa DTCM
24. Rita Ikechi-Uko, Co-founder Akwaaba African Travel Market
25. Senator Florence Ita Giwa – Female Band Leader Carnival Calabar
26. Akporiaye Susan, Managing Director Topaz Travels & Tours Ltd/1st National Deputy President NANTA
27. Margaret Fabiyi – WEBISCO Tourism
28. Nike Okundaye – Nike Art Gallery
29. Mrs. Uloma Egbuna – Tour Brokers Int’l
30. Eme Affia – Director Carnival Calabar
31. Ngozi Ngoka, Zonal VP South East, FTAN Nigeria
Association
32. Rabo Saleh – FTAN President
33. Hajia Bilkisu Abdul – NATOP President
34. Bankole Bernard- NANTA President
35. Sam Alabi – BOT FTAN
36. Nkereuwem Onung – BOT NATOP
37. Kabiru Malan President ATPN
38. Andy Ehanire – Zoos & Wildlife Curators of Nigeria
39. Aliyu Badaki – HATMAN President
40. Dr. Odusanwo – ITP President
41. Chief Dr. Chike Ezeudeh – HOFA President
42. Kayode Adeshola – Abuja NANTA
43. Lola Adewole – NANTA Lagos
44. Tarzan Balogun – NATBOWAT
45. Alhaji Aminu Agoha – FTAN
46. Vincent Ugbor – President HOPSEA
47. Mr. Tokunbo Dagunduro NANTA VP, Western Zone
48. Alhaji Aliyu – NANTA North
Hospitality
49. Mr. Bela Decker – Kajuru Castle Proprietor
50. Wanle Akinboboye – La Campagne Tropicana
51. Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, MD Transcorp Hilton
52. Barry Curran – Head Marriott Hotel
53. Danny Kiopouroglou – GM Eko Hotel
54. Mark Loxley – GM Southern Sun Hotel
55. Amechi Ndili – Golden Tulip Hotel
56. Bob Bamgboye – Current Link Systems Ltd
57. Wasiu Babalola – former MD Swiss Spirit Hotels
58. Nnaemeka Agbasi – NAC Hospitality
59. Paulinus Okon – President Chef Association
60. Chief Anthony Prest – Prest Boat
Travel Agents/ OTA/ Tour Operators
61. Mrs. Mojisola Shobayo – Wesabitravel
62. Philip Aakesson – Travelstart
63. Omolara Adagunodo – Jumia Travels
64. Alhaji Aminu Musa – Amami Global Links ltd, Kano
65. Chichi Umeasiegbu – Global links travel
66. Ahmed Ojuolape – Empire Travel
67. Mrs Foluke Abodunrin – Folabod
68. Sam Adeleke – Afro Tourism
Africa Travel 100 Tour Operators
69. Obinna Ekezie – Wakanow – Nigeria
70. Chiamaka Obuekwe, Social Prefect Tours.
71 David & Wonuola Lamidi – Diamonds & Pearls
72. Isaac & Nneka Moses – Goge Africa
73. Funmi Faloye – WONTRA – Nigeria
74. Ife olarenwaju – Foshizi Tours
75. Tinuke Nwakohu – Aviator Travel and Tours
76. Mr. Adebayo Ajayi – Abay Tours
77. Biola Lawal – FlyBoku
78. Ifedayo Andrew-Ogunbayo – FIDOL Trip
79. Cecilia Doumbe – CMD Tours
80. Tina Nwanya – Nje Tours
81. Erelu Funmi Rotiba – Special Tours
82. Daisi Olotu – Dees Travels
83. Olufunke Adeola Taiwo – Hadur Travels
84. Ediyanga Uko – Travelkulture
85. Steve Isokariari – Dial travel
Media
86. Oluseyi Adeyemo – Inside Watch Africa
87. Omololu Olumuyiwa – Travelscope Magazine
88. Demola Ojo – Thisday
89. Wale Olapade – Nigerian Tribune
90. Chuks Nwanne – The Guardian
91. Obinna Emelike – Businessday
92. Lucky George – Africa Travel Times
93. Frank Meke – Media Consultant
94. Okorie Uguru – The Nation
95. Emeka Anokwuru – The Sun
96. Wale Ojo Lanre – Nigerian Tribune
97. Dr Raphael James- CRIMMD Media
98. Franklin Ihejirika – Nigerian Franknews
99. Dayo Adedayo – Tour Nigeria
100. Pelu Awofeso – Travel Next Door
0 comments
This is beautiful! Congratulations to every one of them. Well done Travellers’ Magazine for this ‘enlightening’ compilation.
Congratulations to you all.. More wins I wish for you all
The record does not show much of the activities of Dignitaries in African Tradition and culture Through out the year but more in the months of festivals, Traditional and African cultural venues are often heavily busy welcoming tourists from different places of the World.
Hattaf International ( Healing, Teaching and Tourism Temple International ) founded since 1980 by Chief Dr Sola Olalekan Atanda has been involved in both National and International tourism activities for the past several years. Chief Dr. Sola Atanda was Executive Secretary for Osun Osogbo International festival for several years amongst other notable activities he was and still involved with. There are several other traditional and cultural great people like him that are not mentioned in the record published.
Big congrat to all the winner’s well deserve
Congratulations to all the other awardees! And a big thank you to the Akwaaba Team.
Hearty congratulations to all winners. Keep flying
This is a bold and unbais selection of stakeholders who have passiinately contributed practically to tourism promotiin and development in the Nigerian Tourism Industry. 100 is a big number and unique in the awards series. Everyone cannot be a winner at the same time and everyone cannot be a loser at the same time. A balanced selection that is not only going to foster unity and encourage the awardees to do more, but a clarion call to genuine stakeholders to continue to think outside the box at making tourism not only a mainstay of the economy but also restrategise newer ideas to pull resource together to put tourism in it rightful place in the scheme of things. We have to work together which is the new spirit of partnership development and success. Nigerian Tourism is what the world is waiting for.
Congratulations to all the winners. Good job.
Its a good start however we feel it has not captured those of us in the Academics who are the base of where the Manpower needs are trained .Please take time to go round Nigerian polytechnics and universities to check the quality of manpower training we do in tourism and hospitality .Good Academics abound in institutions like federal polytechnics Bauchi, Kaduna ,Idah ,Nassarawa,Katsina poly etc
I hope next time you will take this into consideration
We equally have professionals in Honk Kong university polytechnic ,etc
Congratulations to all the winners as this calls for effort doubling so that you’ll remain relevant come 2019. Good to see you at the top.
Congrats to all the winner. I’m proud to be in this line of profession.
Congratulations to all the winners.
Congratulations to you all, wishing you all more years of greatness in your endeavors