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Over the years, Nigeria’s travel industry has experienced spontaneous growth and unity as a result of Partner Plus Connect (PPC), a platform created by Finchglow Travels, saddled with the responsibility of ensuring growth and knowledge among airlines and other traveling agencies.
In order to equip partners and agents with skills, tools, and knowledge that aid their businesses and ensure they grow from agents to distributors, Finchglow Travels hosted an event at the Golden Tulip Hotel on Friday, 26th September 2025, in Port Harcourt. The event had partners such as Amadeus, Afrijet, and Lufthansa present, as well as other travel agencies.
Themed “Boosting Travel Demands: Airlines and Consolidator Insights,” the conference provided a platform for stakeholders to share insights, showcase innovations, and explore strategies for sustaining growth in Nigeria’s travel industry.
Finchglow Travels, founded in 2006, is not just a travel agency but also a leading consolidator in Nigeria’s aviation sector. With about 19 years in business, it has grown into a trusted provider of travel management services, including flight bookings, visa support, and logistics for both corporate and individual clients. The company has earned multiple awards from global airlines such as British Airways, Air France-KLM-Delta, and Virgin Atlantic for excellence in sales and service. Today, Finchglow Travels continues to strengthen the travel industry through innovation, consolidation, and strategic partnerships.
The event comprised of a very interactive and engaging panel session, answering the questions in the minds of the audience on ways travel demand can be boosted. The panel featured three of Finchglow’s senior staff.
WATCH VEDIO LINK HERE: .https://www.facebook.com/share/v/17HmZwiA9A/
Mr. Abiola Bakare, Sales Manager Finchglow Travels, described the current state of travel demand as an interesting one. He cited statistics from a major newspaper in 2023, showing an increase in passenger numbers from 15.6 million in 2023 to 15.8 million in 2024, leaving a difference of 400,000 passengers who travel out of Nigeria yearly. He projected that travel demand would likely return to pre-COVID levels by the end of the year.
He highlighted positive factors driving travel demand, one of which is pleasure. In today’s world, people now mix business with leisure. Other drivers include technological advancement, which has made flight booking seamless; domestic and regional tourism, which is being embraced as a cost-saving measure; and sustainability and eco-tourism.
On the negative side, he mentioned economic realities, pointing out that people tend to be limited financially. He also highlighted visa restrictions, the harsh realities of life abroad which force some people to return home, and the shift from Africa to Asia, where people are granted access to quality education and residency. High ticket costs, both domestic and international, also limit demand, as tickets are usually priced in dollars.
Mr. Abiola also mentioned that global security issues such as wars or instability often limit travel demand.
“Finchglow Travels is not about selling tickets, it is about providing a holistic travel service from end to end,” he said.
“One should be able to think beyond tickets,” he added.
Ebiere Bekesuo, Head of Operations Finchglow Travels, spoke on the role of travel consolidators in boosting demand and supporting both airlines and agencies. With Finchglow’s 19 years in the industry as one of Nigeria’s leading consolidators, she explained the role using a mental triangle: airlines at the top, travel agencies and clients at the bottom, and consolidators positioned in the middle.
She defined a consolidator as one who buys in bulk from airlines and distributes to retailers, who are the travel agencies. She described these agencies as “Soft Agents or Power Trade Partners.”
Finchglow Travels, she explained, is geared toward being the intermediary between airlines and agencies, gathering volumes from agencies and giving them to airlines by filling up seats through discounted rates. It offers attractive fares for corporates, NGOs, and oil and gas firms.
“Finchglow Travels is not just a traveling agency but a consolidator with a unique service,” she added.
Ekemiebi Ololo, Branch Manager Port Harcourt, described Finchglow as “the agent’s agent” because the company both buys and sells in bulk at discounted rates.
She highlighted that one of the ways for agencies to leverage Finchglow is by accessing discounted fares. These include humanitarian, student, and corporate fares, all of which are competitive.
She also noted that registration on Finchglow’s website and signing up for the Partners Plus Platform provides additional benefits. This gives access to unique countries, a seamless process via OTA, training opportunities, and a 24/7 customer care line to deliver top-notch service.
Travel agencies, over the years, can also grow their businesses by creating domestic and regional packages.
Mr. Abiola stressed the importance of innovation.
“One should be able to think beyond tickets,” he said.
He encouraged agencies to provide related services beyond ticket sales, learn to create solutions, work with the right partners, diversify into different fare categories, and provide insights to airlines through strategic approaches.
“Finchglow is moving from volume to value — a travel agency that provides end-to-end solutions, not just selling tickets,” he added.
Partnering with major players and leveraging technology, he noted, brings about advanced growth for both airlines and agencies.
Mr. Ezekiel Ikotun, Managing Director of Finchglow Travels, emphasized why airlines and agencies continue to trust the company.
“There are less than three agencies in this country that operate at the level we do as a consolidator,” he said. “What sets us apart is the structure we’ve built. We hold monthly virtual meetings and quarterly physical meetings nationwide, keeping constant touch with our partners. We have knowledgeable staff who understand the industry inside out, and we make sure our operations are clean — no debit memo issues, no system abuse, no cutting corners. We work with professionalism.”
He further explained Finchglow’s approach to negotiations.
“Our focus is always on profitability, increasing revenue, and raising the load factor. At the end of the day, the airline’s responsibility is to lift passengers, while the consolidator’s responsibility is to ensure the aircraft is filled. That’s where we come in. We consistently fill the aircraft and maintain strong, professional relationships with airlines. That is why the industry trusts us.”
