Stories by Paul Ukpabio
Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO) Plc has inaugurated Cool Dollies which is the first of its kind in West Africa amongst other multi-million naira Ground Support Equipment (GSE), which it says, is to further augment its services to its clients.

Manufactured by Bombelli, Italy, the three Cool Dollies has the capacity of taking a pallet or two AKE container load of temperature-sensitive shipment from the aircraft to the cold rooms or freezers in the warehouse.

The cool dollies are said to be equipped with an automatic electric-powered engine that is environmentally friendly and are fitted with data loggers to catalogue the pressure and temperature level of the compartment to protect its contents. Other ground support equipment unveiled by SAHCO includes Pallet dollies, Pushbacks, Air Conditioning Units (ACUs), water and toilet bowers.

The two 45 tonnes Push Backs also commissioned, manufactured by Goldhofer, a German G.S.E manufacturer, has the capacity of pushing back all wide-body aircraft except an A380 aircraft, is user friendly, and equipped with a tier 4 engine. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of SAHCO, Mr. Basil Agboarumi, at the event said that the new equipment would be added to its arrays of facilities at the airport.

He explained that SAHCO believes in the continuous enhancement of facilities and would continue to invest in modern equipment in a bid to satisfy its clients, especially the airlines who he described as a very important segment of its business.

Agboarumi lauded the Board of Directors of SAHCO for giving its approval for the purchase of the equipment but appealed to the Federal Government to also grant the Ground Handling companies customs duty waivers on the acquisition of equipment.

“SAHCO is doing this because we believe in adding values to the environment, we operate in. Despite the current economic challenge in Nigeria, we are doing this at this time. These cool dollies are the first of their type in Nigeria. It can be used for the movement of perishable cargo from cold rooms to airlines and vice versa.” He added.

Destination Ondo unveils tour buses, cars
Tourism development and promotion get a new boost in Ondo state, with the introduction of an innovative and creative unveiling of a curated tour bus and car services for tour operators and allied service providers, domiciled in and outside the state for tour operations within the state tourism circuit.

Speaking on this new development, the Founder of Destination Ondo, Wanle Akinboboye, a strategic consultant to Ondo State Governor on Tourism as well as President, La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Lagos, said the new product line is aimed at addressing logistics challenges being experienced by tour operators in the state.

While explaining details of how the service is expected to run for the benefit of the tourists and tour operators, Akinboboye said that “the challenge of logistics experienced by most tour operators have been solved with the introduction of Destination Ondo bus and car services.

“With a fleet of buses and cars already acquired for this purpose, they would be operated by professionally trained and skilled drivers, with tour guides, security personnel, entertainment and refreshment packages attached to each bus and car for the duration of the tour.”

Also, he said there is an option of a bespoke service, which is an all-inclusive package covering accommodation in a top-rated hotel of choice, food and drinks, tours, entertainment, nightlife shows, and such other personalised services on request.

To benefit from this unique offer, tour operators are only expected to sell the package and provide the tourists while Destination Ondo takes up the duty of chaperoning the tourists and ensuring that they are avail of the best services on offer and a memorable experience of Ondo State that will last a lifetime.

Since its debut over a year ago, Destination Ondo, with operational offices in Ondo town and Lagos, has introduced several creative and fun-filled products and services, which include Asun Carnival held last year in Ondo town, the first-ever carnival to be staged by a private concern in the state.

It also recently launched the carnival and festival costume-making industry in Ondo town as part of making Ondo the capital and hub for carnival and festival costumes in Africa. The project had 600 youths and women for free training, at inception. It is designed as an economic empowerment platform for the people of Ondo and exploring the tourism economy of the state.

It has also added the promotion of sports tourism to its rich portfolio with the staging of the Destination Ondo Football tournament.

NIHOTOUR Lagos campus host combine graduation ceremony
The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) rolled out the red carpet a few days ago, to host a Combined Graduation Ceremony at its Surulere, Lagos campus.

While speaking at the event, Mrs. Uche-Ibeabuchi Chinyere, said the Institute has cause to celebrate the graduands who have gone through an academic journey, after immense efforts in various hospitality and tourism proficiency skills geared towards impacting trainees to develop their careers.

Other dignitaries at the event were Zonal Coordinator, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Mrs. Chinyere Uche-Ibeabuchi, former Zonal coordinator, NIHOTOUR, Mr. Wale Odeyemi, NIHOTOUR Lagos team, Mrs Omolere Afegbai, Uzoma Paddy-Aroh, Kate Ejike, Tourism Editor, Prince Wale Olapade and Debby Olukayode.

FTAN South-East zonal executive council inaugurated
For travel and tourism, Owerri was a cultural beauty, when the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) BoT members came to town to inaugurate the southeast Zonal Executive Council for the body.

The event which was anchored by the South-South Ubong Ekpe Okon, also had in attendance the President of FTAN, Nkereuwem Onung of Remlords Tours, and Ambassador Ikechi Uko FTAN BoT member.

The southeast Zonal Executive Council is an unusual one “with Ogunyemi Odunayo Julius a Yoruba Man who originally is from Ekiti State, but now a big Igbo Chief having lived in Owerri, Imo State for 21 Years!”

The Kola-cutting was a ceremony on its own, as Odunayo called on Ikechi Uko to handle the auspicious duty, but Uko replied that knowing the Value of Kolanut to the Igbo Man he would hand over the duty to the Commissioner of Tourism Imo State Mazi Uche Ohia who was also in attendance.

And so the kola nut went on a journey, moving from Mazi Ohia to the State Coordinator of FTAN, who passed it to the Zonal VP who then handed it over to Alhaji Badaki Aliyu who is the First National Deputy President.

But it didn’t end there as the kola nut was eventually handed over to the President of FTAN Nkereuwem Onung, who could not do justice to the kola nut until he was taught instant Igbo by the Senior Special Adviser to the Abia State Governor Atuloma Onyekachi Jackie.

That is because Kolanut understands only the Igbo Language. As it is, Kolanut is planted in the Western part of Nigeria, eaten in the Northern part, and celebrated by only the Igbo. After a series of ceremonies, the FTAN southeast Zonal Executive Council was finally inaugurated.

Studying law is a family thing for us – Belgore

2021-22 financial year: Emirates Group announces its half-year results
The Emirate Group in Dubai has announced its Group revenue of AED 24.7 billion (US$ 6.7 billion) for the first six months of 2021-22, which invariably is up 81% from AED 13.7 billion (US$ 3.7 billion) during the same period last year.

The Group reported a 2021-22 half-year net loss of AED 5.7 billion (US$ 1.6 billion), substantially improved from its AED 14.1 billion (US$ 3.8 billion) loss for the same period last year.

Analysis shows that the Group made a turnaround from AED 43 million (US$ 12 million) EBITDA during the same period last year, illustrating its strong return to operating profitability. a healthy cash position AED 18.8 billion (US$ 5.1 billion) on 30 September 2021, as against AED 19.8 billion (US$ 5.4 billion) on 31 March 2021.

Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group, His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, thanked the Group’s customers, aviation and travel industry stakeholders, partners, and staff for their continuous support.

He associated the improving financial result to the fact that the period saw an early global move towards the opening of the airspace and removal of travel restrictions, as countries progressed with their covid-19 vaccinations.

“Emirates’ strong brands, high-quality products and services, digital and innovation capabilities, and our amazing people. We intend to continue investing in these core areas to take our business into the future, together with the leaner processes and new technology capabilities that we’ve implemented in the past months,” he added.