Travel & Business News

(L-R) Mrs. Clementina Igweonu, Teacher, MMASS; Mrs. Modinat Sowemimo; Miss Karimat Sowemimo, Winner, Secondary Schools Category, NTEC 2013/14; Mr. Khaled El Rafie, GM, EgyptAir; Miss Divine Nwachi, 2nd Runner Up; Mr. Olayide Ogunkoya; Miss Tolulope Ogunkoya, 1st Runner Up; and Mrs. Abosede Ogunkoya. Winners of the Secondary Schools category of the 5 th Bristow Helicopters/Travel & Business News National Travel Essay Competition (NTEC 2013/2014) recently paid a courtesy visit to EgyptAir office in Victoria Island, Lagos. The students who were accompanied by their parents were received by the General Manager (GM), EgyptAir, Mr. Khaled El Rafie. The team was made up of the Grand Prize Winner, Miss Karimat Sowemimo of Murtala Muhammed Airport Secondary School (MMASS) accompanied by her mother, Engr. (Mrs.) Modinat Sowemimo; Second Prize Winner, Miss Tolulope Ogunkoya of International School (Unilag) Lagos (ISL) with both Parents, Mr. & Mrs. Olayide & Abosede Ogunk

Mr. Stephan EKBERGH, CEO, Travelstart is an astute entrepreneur with a keen sense for achieving milestones, changing stereotypes and breaking barriers. In this exclusive interview with Ewos IRORO, he shares the vision of the company and offers insight on a number of pertinent industry issues.       Tell us about yourself and professional industry experience? I've been an entrepreneur since a kid. It's in my blood. So, self-employed for most of my life with 15 travel start-ups over a span of 30 years. I was the pioneer for online travel in Scandinavia and brought Travelstart to South Africa. From here, we started our Africa roll out. Work aside, I am married with four kids and a dog. Africa is my home since 10 years. Could you take us through the vision of Travelstart, how it began and how it eventually entered the Nigerian market? We started Travelstart in Scandinavia in 1999 and ran it there for several years. I started Travelstart in South Africa in

Mr. Femi Collins, GM, Human Resources, Bristow Helicopters presenting a cheque to Miss Temitope Coker, Winner, Tertiary Institutions Category, NTEC 2013/2014 Bristow Helicopters recently gave a huge boost to the prospect of getting more young Nigerians into following a career in the aviation industry when it joined forces with Travel & Business News, organisers of the National Travel Essay Competition (NTEC) in an effort to ameliorate the clear and present challenge of skilled manpower shortage and ageing workforce in the sector. The company accepted to be the Title Sponsor of the annual contest which was then rechristened as the 5th Bristow Helicopters/Travel & Business News National Travel Essay Competition (NTEC 2013/2014). During a courtesy call to the rotor operator’s office, winners of this year’s contest were congratulated and presented with cash prizes by the company’s Human Resources Manager, Mr. Femi Collins, who represented the Managing Director. The

EgyptAir is the first airline in Africa and the Middle East and the seventh in the world having been established on May 7, 1932. The carrier currently does Seventeen flights into three points in Nigeria, including Lagos, Abuja and Kano. Mr. Khaled El Rafie is the General Manager in Lagos. He spoke with Ewos IRORO on steps being taken by the company to give customers added value for money. Could you please give a background information about yourself? My name is Khaled El Rafie, I have been working for EgyptAir since 1992. I started as a ticketing and reservation officer and finally became the General Manager of EgyptAir Lagos.   How long have you been in Nigeria now? I have been in Nigeria for the last three years. What has the experience been like for you? Quite interesting! Nigeria is a huge market and there is a lot of competition. So for me it has allowed me to constantly work hard at ensuring we not only maintain our market share but even go a step furt