From May 28, 2025, the International Travel and Tourism Conference (ITTC), backed by the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents (NANTA), lands in The Gambia for a five-day experience that is a deliberate move to deepen intra-African tourism, guided by strategy, spirit, and a sharp sense of possibility.
In a recent episode of Ije, The World of Travel, Pastor Chi Umeasiegbu, our Group CEO at Global Links and First Deputy President of NANTA, offered a thoughtful preview of what to expect. According to her, the ITTC 2025 is not just a conference but a blueprint for unlocking opportunity on our own continent, for our own people.
Africa to Africans: A Vision Rooted in Identity
ITTC started in 2023 in South Africa with a simple but radical idea: Africans should be the first to experience, promote, and profit from Africa. Not as afterthoughts in a Western itinerary, but as the authors and architects of our travel narratives.
Now, with Banjul in its sights, ITTC is bringing that idea closer to home, literally. Just four hours from Lagos by air, The Gambia offers more than beaches and sunsets. It offers access. It offers simplicity. It offers a stage for Nigerian travel agents to craft unforgettable experiences that speak to culture, heritage, and profit.
Apart from tourism, delegates will walk the streets, sample the food, inspect the hotels, chat with local DMCs, and return not with souvenirs, but with strategic insight. They’ll be able to pitch Banjul with the confidence of someone who’s been there, eaten there, and negotiated there.
Price Meets Proximity: Making Travel Affordable Again
Let’s not pretend the Nigerian traveller isn’t under pressure. Exchange rates are dancing like masquerades, airfares keep climbing, and what used to be a simple getaway now requires spreadsheet-level planning. NANTA isn’t just observing the challenge; they’re responding to it.
One of the conference’s key wins is its partnership with ValueJet, whose newly launched direct flights to Banjul remove the headache of multi-stop travel. It’s fast. It’s cost-effective. And it sets the tone for future regional links. As Pastor Chi said, “Affordability is not just about price, it’s about access.” In other words, ease is the new luxury.
Beyond the Boarding Pass: A New Era for Travel Agents
There’s a quiet dignity in watching Nigerian travel agents evolve from mere ticket vendors to travel consultants, lifestyle curators, and cross-border business matchmakers. That’s what ITTC is nurturing.
The conference goes beyond logistics. It’s a deep dive into new revenue streams. Real estate. Cultural exports. Import opportunities. Pan-African package design. Nigerian agents will sit with Gambian business owners, not as tourists, but as potential partners. The goal? To build offerings that blend the familiar with the fresh, like a Lagos-Banjul combo that balances hustle and heritage.
This isn’t theory. This is practical business development wrapped in a travel experience. And at the heart of it is one powerful idea: agents can earn more by knowing more.
Why Gambia, Why Now?
Gambia is one of the smartest choices for regional expansion. No visa drama. Minimal red tape. And a tourism culture that’s eager to collaborate.
For Nigerian agents, that’s gold. It’s a chance to build packages with lower friction and higher appeal. Gambia’s warm hospitality, vibrant culture, and budget-friendly offerings tick boxes for families, solo travellers, and business explorers alike.
As Pastor Chi put it, “You need to spend money to make money.” The ITTC trip is part familiarisation, part consultation, part investment, and it pays dividends in credibility and client trust.
The Global Links Advantage
At Global Links Travels, we don’t just talk the talk, we walk the walk with our agents and clients alike. From seamless visa processing to personalised itinerary planning, we offer more than travel services, we offer peace of mind.
Victor Asemota, a tech founder who knows a thing or two about disruption, once tweeted, “Airlines fear agents because they know the terrain.” That’s exactly what we stand for. Deep knowledge, strong partnerships, and an agent-first mindset. We understand that in today’s climate, the best travel consultant is part storyteller, part strategist.
ITTC 2025 is proof of that. And Global Links is here to ensure that every delegate attending is fully prepared to maximise the moment.
Join the Movement: This is Bigger Than a Conference
If you’re a travel agent looking to scale, specialise, or simply stay ahead, ITTC 2025 is your moment. If you’re a traveller tired of the same destinations and hungry for authentic, affordable experiences, start with Banjul.
If you’re in the business of building bridges across Africa, one itinerary at a time, we at Global Links want to partner with you.
Visit glstravels.com or email info@globallinkstravels.com. Let’s plan smarter, sell better, and tell richer African stories.
This is how we build a stronger, more connected continent, one trip at a time.