Aerovessel Aviation College, Okpanku others win Garbati’s Outreach N5m grant

A leading Transport and Travel/Tourism journalist, Justina Uzo Okpanku, has won the first ever Nigeria Tourism grant, Fatimah Garbati’s Outreach N5 million Grant.

The organisers of Akwaaba African Travel Market, a tourism exhibition, announced the lucky winners of the inaugural Fatima Garbati’s Tourism Outreach Grant, recently.

The publisher of ATQ Magazine and Organiser, Akwaaba African Travel Market, Mr. Ikechi Uko said the initiative was aimed at empowering the next generation of tourism leaders in the country.

Meanwhile, the grant, worth a total of N5 million, will be shared among selected institutions, brands and journalists as well as young tour operators, each recognised for their contributions to the growth and development of the tourism industry in the country.

Uko explained that they were desirous of supporting operators, including the tourism press who have passion for tourism just like Fatimah Garbati did.” The Fatimah Garbati Outreach Team was said to have empowered the organizers of Akwaaba African Travel Market to reward excellence in travel and tourism in Nigeria.

He continued, “Fatima Garbati has always supported tourism events and groups. She was especially passionate about Akwaaba and never missed one event, so it is only appropriate that we celebrate her memory.”

Institutions recognised for Visibility and Impact of their Graduates: National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR); Universal School of Aviation (USA); Kwara State University; Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB); Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY); Kaduna Polytechnic; University of Abuja (UNIABUJA); Aeroport College of Aviation; Aerovessel College of Aviation; Michael Okpara University, Umudike; Pathways Delta State, and Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH).

Brands championing Youth Tourism across Nigeria winners include Chrisage Travels, Abuja; Wakalogue, Jos; OU Travels, Enugu; Omotosho Travels, Ilorin; Nigeria Tourism Lovers (NTL) Lagos; Naija Explorers, Lagos, and Barry Jigawa, Dutse.

Five seasoned Tourism journalists, known for their consistent attendance and coverage of the Akwaaba Travel Market events, have also been selected for the grant.

Winner of Fatima Garbati Tourism Outreach Grant include Justina Uzo Okpanku Justtour News and Omololu Olumuyiwa, Managing Editor of Travelscope Magazine

Other winners in the media category tourism journalists category are Olawale Olapade, Nigerian Tribune; Obinna Emelike, Businessday; land Franklin Ihejirika, Nigeria Frank News.

Akwaaba Travel Market has also announced that 10 lucky young tour operators will each win a cash prize of N50,000 during the Youth Forum scheduled for September 24, 2024 during the ongoing Akwaaba Travel Market at the prestigious Eko Hotels & Suites, Lagos.

The recipients of the grant were chosen by the organizers of Akwaaba.

Garbati ( late) last served at the National Tour Operators of Nigeria (NATOP) AGM in Ile Ife in 2019. She was the former president of NATOP, a former deputy president of FTAN, a deputy director of marketing at Nigerian Airways, and a GM at NCAA Consumer Protection Unit Mrs. Garbati nurtured NATOP and led the association to the opening of the Calabar Tourism project that birthed the Calabar Carnival, the biggest street party in Africa.