Firm Boosts Agents’ Capacity For Safer Air Travels

A firm, Finchglow Travels has intensified efforts to strengthen the capacity of Nigerian travel agents through its Partner Plus Connect programme, an initiative designed to provide industry education, technology access and operational support to travel professionals.

The programme, which began before the COVID-19 pandemic, is aimed at equipping travel agents with up-to-date industry knowledge, global best practices and access to critical tools needed to compete effectively in the evolving travel market.

Speaking on the initiative, the managing director of Finchglow Travels, Ezekiel Ikotun said the company operates as a consolidator with a responsibility to support travel professionals who often lack direct access to industry information, airline deals, technology platforms and business architecture.

According to him, many agents, particularly those not yet fully licensed or employed, are excluded from key operational resources, a gap Finchglow seeks to address through structured engagement and training.

He also said the company has also adopted measures to mitigate the impact of dollar-denominated ticket sales, which have posed challenges for agents operating within Nigeria’s foreign exchange constraints.

The managing director also explained that while some airlines insist on dollar payments, Finchglow leverages dollar inflows from corporate clients and negotiates dual-currency settlement arrangements with airlines, allowing agents to pay in naira while the company manages dollar obligations.

“To our trade partners, dollarisation is not a major restriction. In many cases, agents pay in naira while we handle the dollar component,” he said.

Also speaking, a senior management staff of Finchglow Travels, Bakare Abiola said the company supports both IATA-accredited and non-IATA agencies by providing access to global distribution systems (GDS) and Near Distribution Capability (NDC) platforms, subject to qualification and compliance requirements.

Abiola noted that the travel industry is rapidly evolving and warned that agencies that fail to adapt to new distribution technologies risk being left behind.

He commended recent developments in Nigeria’s aviation sector, including airline route expansions, airport upgrades and the country’s first air show, while urging the government to sustain reforms and reduce multiple taxes on air tickets to make travel more affordable.

According to him, lower fares would encourage increased travel and support the growth of the aviation industry.