Coker, King To Deliver Keynotes 

As a stakeholder in the hospitality industry gear up for the 2019 Hotel Expo Nigeria billed to open on Thursday, May 9, at the Landmark Exhibition Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, leading brands such as Access Bank, Marriott International, Air Namibia and others have thrown their weight behind the West Africa’s hospitality event.

Poised to firmly position Nigeria as the centre for hospitality and tourism among the comity of nations in Africa, other leading brands expected at the exhibition include MP Hotels (owners of Epe resort and spa, Travel house budget hotel, TCC Ogere resort and conference centre), Wood Styles Furniture, Master Furniture E’Sorae Luxury and many more.

With support from the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), the two-day exhibition, which ends on Friday, May 10, will feature sales and conference for the hospitality community, as well as bring together hoteliers, travel, tourism bodies and booking agents, architects, purchasers, manufacturers, suppliers, decision-makers, procurement managers, brand executives, owners/operators for two days of exceptional networking, brand/product exposure, insight, activities, ultramodern and developing ideas.

There will be over 20 leading brands plus marketing and PR reach and an expected 1,500 visitors, including the conference sessions, which will feature an impressive lineup of industry experts, the Federal Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, innovators, visionaries, International speakers, as well as luxury and lifestyle experts.

The networking session, which is solely powered by Access Bank, will see business leaders, country managers and other industry giants in attendance and participation will be strictly by invitation.

One of the most anticipated segments of Hotel Expo Nigeria’s exhibition is the conference session, which will hold on the show floor of the Landmark Exhibition Centre. It will focus on prospects, challenges and the numerous economic opportunities available to all stakeholders in the hospitality, travel and tourism sector.

To address these and other related topics, organisers have assembled some of the best hands in the industry, including Omolara Adagunodo, MD of Jumia Travel, Tunji Andrews a lead economist at TTAC Africa and an EU consultant and Eric Mekwuye the CEO of HoRECABB Mentors, a top hospitality business school in Lagos. Others are Gbenga Onitilo, National Sales Manager of Air Namibia and Nnazilim Egbuonu, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Travel Beta.

The keynote speakers are Mr Folorunsho Coker, Director-General of NTDC and Mr Ekpedeme King, the spokesperson for Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). Other notable panelists Justina Ovat, founder of Calabar Hospitality House Limited; Toni Ukackukwu, a top aviation consultant and the founder of Aviators Africa; Nishita Devanand, a top hospitality consultant for Hyatt Group, Marriott and Nestle; Salome Danjuma, who is the Business Development Manager of Wheatbaker Hotel and Michael Williams, the head of marketing at EbonyLife Media.

These experts will focus on topical issues in the hospitality, travel, interior and design and aviation and also examine how the hospitality and travel industry can grow our economy.