The much-awaited travels magazine was launched on November 4, 2009. The travel magazine is the first international travel and tourism magazine in Nigeria.  It is a product of many months of planning and strategising with top travel journalists within and outside Nigeria .The magazine aims to fill the void observed in the reporting of the travels and hospitality sector in Nigeria and will  report global travel trends from a Nigerian perspective.

As early as 1p.m, guests started trickling in. As guests entered into the hotel premises, friendly ushers helped them find the auditorium where the event was holding.

At the auditorium, there was conviviality  and a feeling of great expectation in the air. Soft music played in the background,while promo videos and Power Point slides were ready for the day’s event. Proceedings started in earnest  with an opening prayer, and then a rendition of  the Nigerian national anthem; it was not the usual recorded version of it but rather a live one rendered with a traditional

talking drum by a drummer clad in Yoruba traditional attire. There were cultural performances by first class troupes, including Revissant Dance Company, a popular dancing troupe put together by Princess Latifah, an erstwhile Beauty Queen.  The high point of the event was the musical performance by Bigiano, a top musical artiste.

Ambassador Segun Olusola, a cultural icon, who also is the chairman of the African Refugee Foundation, chaired the launch. Officials from leading airlines, hotels, tour operators, travel agencies and telecommunications outfits attended the superlative launch.

The Nigeria day at the event was on Thursday November 11. It had in attendance members of the press, officials of the top travel exhibitions such as FITUR, The World Travel Market (WTM) and the ITB.  There were musical performances by musicians of Nigerian descent based in the United Kingdom. The fun filled event had   guests dancing to the music and learning Nigerian dance steps. Visitors to the Nigeria day were made to experience a slice of the Nigerian hospitality through the various sumptuous Nigerian dishes and beverages that were served them. The beautifully designed and decorated Nigeria stand was indeed a crowd puller.

A day before the Nigeria day, the Director General of the Nigeria Tourism Development Commission, Otunba Segun Runsewe, addressed members of the press. Through his energetic delivery, he stressed that Nigeria has beautiful tourist destinations that surpasses what is available elsewhere in the world

“I like to tell you that it will interest you to know that only last year Nigeria generated about 500 million US dollars from tourism investments in our country alone; and somebody asked me ‘do you know that all the chains of hotels in the world, 6 are right now in Nigeria?’ ” said Otunba Runsewe.

If what the people at Reeds exhibitions (the organizers of the WTM) said is anything to go by, Nigeria had an impressive showing at the Travel Market and made so many friends in the process.

“We are extremely honored to receive this award from our customers who have extremely high standards of service for their shipments,” said AA Cargo President, Dave Brooks. “Every American Airlines employee should be very proud of this award, the result of our collective commitment to serving the air cargo industry throughout our global network,” he said.

The International Airline of the Year award is determined each year by a survey of XLA members who use the services of carriers for express deliveries around the world.

AirCargo 2010 is the premier annual trade show and conference for the Air and Expedited Motor Carriers Association (AEMCA), the Airforwarders Association (AfA), and the Express Delivery and Logistics Association. Each year, AirCargo brings together industry experts within the express delivery, freight forwarding and

expedited motor carrier industries.

American Airlines Cargo(SM), a division of American Airlines Inc., provides over 100 million pounds of weekly cargo lift capacity to major cities in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Latin America and Asia.

American, American Eagle and the American Connection regional airlines serve more than 250 cities in over 40 countries with more than 3,400 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American provides one of the largest cargo networks in the world, with cargo terminals and interline connections available across the globe.

Founded in 1976, XLA is a nonprofit association whose members include large firms with global delivery networks and smaller businesses with strong regional delivery networks. Worldwide, XLA members have operations in over 200 countries; move more than 20 million packages each day; employ more than 800,000 people; operate 1,200 aircraft and earn revenues in excess of $60 billion annually.

It was a night of elation – and some disappointment – as the travel and tourism industry’s ‘great and good’ watched South Africa take the spotlight, winning many of the region’s overall categories.

There were awards too for travel companies, organisations and destinations in Botswana, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Tunisia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The biggest applause of the night though was saved for Dr. Aupindi Tobie Aupindi, Managing Director of the fast-expanding Namibia Wildlife Resorts, named Africa’s prestigious Tourism Personality of the Year.

Dr Aupindi, currently gearing up to celebrate the Etosha National Park Centenary, a significant milestone in conservation, has been described as “inspiring the next generation of Namibian Leaders”.

CEOs, directors of leading travel companies, government ministers, heads of tourism departments and destinations, industry association leaders and celebrities gathered for Africa’s most important industry evening.

VIPs included: Hon. Tokozile Xasa, South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Tourism; Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, the Hon. Commissioner, Lagos State Delegation; Mr. Kenneth Racombo, First Secretary at the Seychelles High Commission; Mr. Mansoor Mohamed, Executive Director of the City of Cape Town, and Ms.

Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, CEO of Cape Town Tourism.

South African Airways was voted Africa’s Leading Airline and 1Time Airline, the budget carrier from Johannesburg, operating low cost flights to airports within South Africa and Zanzibar took the titles of both Africa’s Leading Low-Cost Airline and Africa’s Leading Online Tour Operator.

The Hilton Durban took Africa’s Leading Business Hotel; the elegant five-star decadence of The Palazzo Montecasino in Johannesburg won the title Africa’s Leading Casino Resort; and Cape Town walked off with Africa’s Leading Destination.

The internationally renowned Sun City Resort, South Africa, won Africa’s Leading Family Resort, while Starwood Hotels & Resorts took the title of Africa’s Leading Hotel Group. Arabella Western Cape Hotel & Spa at

Hermanus, South Africa, took Africa’s Leading Luxury Hotel and The Westin Grand Cape Town Arabella Quays, South Africa, triumphed as Africa’s Leading Meetings & Conference Hotel; Sandton Sun, one of Johannesburg’s top landmarks was Africa’s Leading Convention Hotel.

Kenya’s luxury getaway resort of Diani Reef Beach & Spa in Mombasa was Africa’s Leading Beach Resort and Egypt’s Sharm El Sheikh beat the competition as Africa’s Leading Beach Destination. The Sheraton Miramar Resort El Gouna Hughada in Egypt took Africa’s Leading Beach Hotel. Morocco’s Palmeraie Golf Palace was voted Africa’s Leading Golf Resort.

Thousands Voted

The winners were selected with the help of thousands of industry professionals worldwide who voted online.

Graham E. Cooke, Founder and President of World Travel Awards said that in addition to the prestige for their respective companies and destinations, the winners gain considerable commercial benefit from their deserved success. “Because of

their global reach and reputation, World Travel Awards are unique and regularly referred to as the ‘Oscars’ of travel and tourism”, said Cooke.

“This means that consumers are increasingly using our portfolio of winners as a reliable and independent guide when booking their vacation,” he added.

The awards, established 17 years ago, are committed to raising the standards of customer service and overall business performance throughout the international industry.

“Customer care and professionalism of African tourism has come a long way in the years since the World Travel Awards was first started”, said Cooke, adding “What is so encouraging for Africa is that unlike much of the world, the region has determinedly bucked the trend, notably with the sub-Saharan destinations

which are doing particularly well.”

Winners of the regional ceremony will now go on to compete in World Travel Awards 2010 final in London, immediately before World Travel Market on Sunday 7 November.

The world acclaimed theatre production AFRICA UMOJA and Kewela Tebza provided spectacular entertainment at the ceremony and the instrumental pop super group Sterling EQ were the stage band.

Lagos State covers an area totaling 3,577 square kilometers, about 4 per cent of the total land mass called Nigeria.

It is characterized by endless stretches of coastal line consisting mainly of freshwater creeks, islands, rivers and fine sandy beaches.

Because of its unique location as an entry point into other parts of Nigeria and the West African subregion, Lagos is easily the largest and the most populated commercial center in the country.

This huge influx of people into the state has given rise to a significant percentage of business and conference tourism with the hospitality industry expanding by the day to include choice hotels and resorts, which cater for this market niche.

One of such facilities that comes readily to mind is La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort. An African styled resort, it is located on the Lekki Peninsula, about an hour`s drive away from the Lagos metropolis.

This tropical paradise in the woods is made up of mangrove forest, a lake, extensive coconut studded beaches and a fresh water lagoon where guests can safely go canoeing, fishing and hydro biking.

The lagoon itself attracts a wide variety of freshwater birds, including kingfishers and sea hawks, and is home to an interesting variety of flora and fauna.

With tourism gradually attaining its pride of place, the Lagos State beautification scheme couldn’t have come at a better time, as it has given the city a whole new face lift, with newly installed public facilities and a charming restoration of the environment, which makes it a lot more tourist friendly and endearing to visitors.

More attention is also being given to the development of both man made and natural tourist sites, and today, Lagos State can boast of a catalogue of exciting destinations that wield the power to enhance the economic well being of the state.

Founded in 1425, the town of Badagry is an ancient border town that is intimately linked with its past. Everywhere you look, colonial structures bear testimony to the town’s great age. The very first storey building in Nigeria is located here. Its structure is still as strong as ever.

The former slave port and the area that surrounds it are landmarks that have assumed increasing importance over the years, with signs of the town`s erstwhile involvement in the slave trade, still very much intact.

The slave route project was conceptualized by UNESCO in 1993 and was to be implemented in all localities along the West African coast where slave trade held, beginning from the 16th century.

The Lagos State government took up this challenge by initiating the construction of the Badagry Slave Route Project and today it remains a poignant reminder of the most despicable form of inhumanity shown to man.

This era of darkness has been eloquently captured within the walls of the Badagry Heritage Museum. A sober, archaic structure occupying spacious grounds its graceful staircases reaching up to the first floor.

Panelled walls and wooden ceilings create an atmostphere of well preserved age, even as the museum transports its visitors back in time.

One shackled slave heralds the beginning of the exhibition. Adorning the walls, a sequence of black and white photographs tell the story…

In the section tagged Resistance and Punishment, a larger than life statue depicts a ferocious dog tearing at the throat of a runaway slave one of the more brutal methods employed by colonial masters in discouraging slaves from attempting to escape.

Gagged slaves in the next exhibition underline the cruel fact that even when the trade in human cargo was supposedly abolished, the first batch of freed slaves were sadly limited in their freedom, as they did not possess the right to speak in public.

Other pictures depict the strong similarities that still exist between Brazilian and Yoruba cultures, as well as similarities between ancient Brazilian architecture and the colonial type of architecture to be found in Badagry.

LAGOS BEACHES

Beaches, anywhere in the world, are regarded as treasures, and the ones in Lagos State are as numerous as they are varied, literally littering the length and breadth of the state.

EKO TOURIST RESORT BEACH

T he Eko Tourist Beach Resort, situated off a lonely stretch of road, is about an hour’s drive away from the Lagos metropolis. This discreet hideout is ideal for visitors who wish to get away from it all.

The semi -detached chalets offer guests all the privacy they need while a paved pathway leads out directly onto the beach area where stooping palm trees provide a pleasant shade from the scorching heat.

ISHAHAYI BEACH

Ishahayi beach is a private resort located close to a riverine settlement that sits right at the edge of the water.

Around the beach area, palm branches make black jagged patches against the sky.

Built with wood and coconut husks, the beach houses blend naturally with the environment and this vast emptiness with nothing but sand and sea, has a strong cleansing effect on the mind.

This private beach, which shuts one off from the rest of the universe, offers the occasional visitors all the privacy they need. In the far distance is a fusion of the firmaments, with both sky and sea merging into the most perfect blueness.

IBESHI BEACH

Another beach that offers its visitors absolute seclusion is Ibeshi. Though it does not have the same heavy traffic as the others, Ibeshi is nonetheless just as bewitching.

An endless strip of pristine white sands bordered by turquoise blue waters provides the perfect backdrop for open air barbeques and weekend retreats.

There is currently a massive scramble for the luxury jets. Eyen Amos puts in plain words why business executives feel the need to use or own private jets.

The business jet is the summit of luxury transportation. Conversationally, it is known as bizjet. It is a terminology describing the usually smaller size of the jet aircraft, which is designed for transporting groups of business people.

In some quarters, it is known as the private jet; more formal terms such as corporate jet, executive jet, VIP transport is mostly used by the companies, which build and market the aircrafts.

Up until now, it has been used extensively by the military and by humanitarian aid workers for the transportation of relief materials and for civilian evacuation.

There are different models of the business jet with the Lear by Bombardier, the Falcon by Dassault Falcon, the Citation series produced by Cessna and the Boeing as the most popular.

There are five classes of bizjets, namely very light, heavy, super, light and mid-size. The term fractional jet came into play in 1996 and it is used extensively to describe a business jet owned by a consortium of companies and the overheads such as hangarage, maintenance and flight crew is shared through a special arrangement among them.

Increasingly, airliners are converted into luxury bizjets, which is mostly appealing to sport teams and entertainers, who often travel with a large entourage.

There are a little over 11,000 business jets in the global fleet with a great number of them based in the USA and Europe. It takes about three years for new aircrafts orders to be delivered. For individuals or organisations that need it immediately, they can go for the fairly used ones that are easily available.

There are now hundreds of comprehensive business jet charter companies specializing in luxury private jet charters to and from any destination on the globe.

A lot of these companies were established by retired captains, aeronautical engineers and other characters who have gained a substantial level of experience in the global aviation industry.

A great deal of these charter companies recognize the demand for greater personal attention, and in the process, they have constantly raised the bar in terms of the quality of services they render.

As one of the fastest growing sectors in the global economy, there is a great demand for a high level of innovation from private jet charter companies.

Whether a business executive is looking for a jet charter or in case he wants to become a card carrying member, these charter outfits places the world’s most elite aircraft available at the disposal of their clients.

A great number of these private jets have in-house chefs attached to them and in some rare cases masseurs and nurses, depending on the personal needs of the users of this service; with these jets, business executive are well able to eat what they really want as well as the way they want to.

The flexibility users and owners experience on the business jet is immense. They don’t need much paper work to stop at any air port because a lot of this has been done by the jet rental outfit.

A lot of business executives are now choosing to rent, or in some exceptional cases, buy business jets. It is also a prestige thing. In order to ensure that Murphy’s Law visiting or setting in is reduced to thee barest minimum.

These business executives are willing to do anything humanly possible in order to keep Murphy’s Law at bay.

Here are some reasons behind the current scramble for the private jet by corporate executives:

Prestige

It is first and foremost a prestige thing, don’t mistake that. Business executives want to show they are successful; from a rational stand point they want to show that their many years in business are not for nothing.

Lately, the use of the business jet has become a status symbol. And in order to be seen to be succeeding, corporate executives are willing to give their right arms to own this business tool.

They feel the need fit into the clique of business executives who really matter and they, all the time, want to show they have got so much money to spare.

Flying in a machine worth well over $2 million is a huge way of telling people that their money is in good hands; it shows the would-be or existing client in a lot of ways that the business executive has panache, taste and that he or she is increasingly trying to hold court on all things modern, fashionable and essential; on top of the fact that he or she is keeping pace with current trends.

And with this major piece to the image puzzle in place, it is all so easy for prospective clients to see the business executive as a person deserving of their special money, time and energy; a fertile ground to invest, in order to ensure that Murphy’s Law visiting or setting-in is reduced to the barest minimum.

Flexibility

The flexibility that comes with the private jet is the main selling point of this increasingly popular business tool. It is best for executives seeking to avoid flight delays as well as outright flight cancellations, which are now too common in the public aviation situation.

Corporate bureaucrats are able to meet up with their clients and be punctual for business meetings, keeping to time. Flight cancellations and postponements are common place at airports today, but with a private jet, executives can go anywhere at any time. They can book their flights any time, any day, 365 days a year, plus, they are guaranteed availability within 11 hours notice. Flight postponements are totally unheard of in the case of the business jet charter.

Whether it’s a last minute meeting on the other side of the world, or simply enjoying some quiet time, passengers are made to enjoy the highest standards of comfort, service, and facilities, both on the ground and in the air.

Business meetings and other events can be held in the jet as a result of the increasing possibility of adjusting the setting of the furnishings. Owners of private jets are now choosing to customize their jet to suit their taste and ensuring it is functional.

Safety

To ensure the aircraft to be used is properly maintained and that it is air worthy, all of the aircraft utilized by charter companies are usually been painstakingly handpicked to beat industry standards for advanced, dependable safety and service and are tailored to provide the user with the most comfortable in-flight experience available.

With an extensive fleet of young aircrafts, passengers aboard these jets are guaranteed an exceptional journey from start to finish.

Safety is a priority at this jet charter outfits. They adhere to and surpass the most stringent safety standards in the industry. All chartered aircraft are maintained and operated in accordance with Aviation Regulations.

With these measures in place, passengers are assured of unsurpassed safety and peace of mind.

To maintain safety and audit standards, all maintenance and safety records for each aircraft are rigorously reviewed prior to each trip.

These pre-flight procedures and checks include the creation of a report that checks and verifies crucial information concerning the operator, aircraft and crew for each trip.

These pre-flight reports are also forwarded to all clients prior to each trip. In the case of public aircrafts to really ascertain if it is been properly maintained is problematical.

The motivation of airline engineers to a large extent is questionable. With this trepidation, there is no purpose driven human person that is ready to leave his or her life at the mercy of the flight engineers attached to a lot of these airlines.

Security

Murphy’s Law states that if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. On September 11, 2001, some terrorists seized control of four passenger aircrafts mid-air, plunging two of them into the twin towers of the World Trade Centre, one into the pentagon, an American military facility and the fourth was found in a field not too far away from the seat of power, and in the process, thousands of people loss their lives.

Since that fateful day, global aviation industry regulations and operations drastically changed. Civil aviation, as we use to know it, has lost its appeal. People are now afraid of sharing such a critical facility with absolute strangers; people whose background, motivation, passion and drive they do not have a grasp of.

Business travellers want to be able to be on the air with a clear mind void of fear, suspicion and negativity.

These business executives are willing to do anything humanly possible in order to keep Murphy’s Law at bay.

They want to be capable of thinking clearly while on board, as well as being able to strategize about their business appointments or projects at hand or whatever it is that is waiting for them at their destination.

All these concerns, which in a lot of ways are fallouts of the terrorists attack on the United States of America, begs the question; where do corporate executives turn to for safe transportation? The answer can be found nowhere else but in the Executive Jet, a resource they can use alone or share with people they can vouch for. With an exclusive tool like this Business travellers can go through their trip without having to worry about the eminence of a terrorist attack or hostage taking plus other certainties of a post 9/11 world.

Comfort

The boom experienced in the aviation and travels industry for a good stretch of the 1980s to the mid 90s generated out-sized returns, but it also exposed airlines to out-sized risks a negative force multiplier of epic proportions; the industry operators started neglecting the quality services they were known for.

Travelling aboard a civil airplane is no more the experience of your fancy. For those flying in the economy class the leg room is increasingly poor, and in the case of those flying first class a lot the advertised amenities are in deplorable conditions.

In the economy, multimedia equipments and ornaments are been ripped out and in their place extra seats are been installed.

Fresh and sizzling meals are no more served on board a lot of these airplanes because the airline administrators believe the passengers will still show up no matter the quality of services they offer; and the bait is always a lower fare.

Travelling on a business jet ensures the user arrives at his destination looking and feeling terrific, energies are not unnecessarily dissipated, which is now common place in the use of the normal civil aviation services airlines and airports offer.

A lot of the private jet charter companies are currently able to guarantee peace of mind and convenience at all strata of the travel.

The extended business-to-business resources they provide ensure the elite frequent-flier’s productivity is not hindered while on the go. Corporate executives are able to work in a controlled environment, free of chatter and distractions of any kind in the business jet.

Personalized Services

Private jet charter outfits are now setting newer standards in charter and premium concierge services. They ensure an upscale, classy treatment is accorded every passenger aboard their jets. They now make arrangements for the users of their services to be picked up at the airport and then chauffer-driven to their hotel, the venue of their business meeting or to wherever they have in mind. It is increasingly difficult to get a top rate personalized service aboard a public jumbo jet.

It is tricky for an air hostess no matter how motivated to deal courteously in the same way with a hundred or more passengers on board; meeting their every need is even more thorny.

For the ravenous elite flier, these charter companies boast of grand in-flight gourmet menus with a variety of dishes to satisfy the most epicurean palate.

They are cyclically striving to provide the best service in the sky. High luxury standards and cost-effective solutions are what they are holding forth. Whether it is a special meal for in-flight catering, a limousine on arrival, premium office suites, remote secretarial services, security services or anything in between, they have specialists who are capable of handling every detail of the trip with service that is second to none.

A lot of business executives are increasingly seeking to get to their destinations feeling and looking great and unruffled and they have come to the shocking realization that they can only realize this by travelling in a private jet.