The chairman of Finchglow Travels, Mr. Bankole Bernard, has accepted to chair the 26th annual conference of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents (LAAC), scheduled for July 28, 2022, in Lagos.
Besides, many other stakeholders in the aviation industry have confirmed their participation in the annual event which is expected to have over 250 participants in attendance.
Bernard who is also the chairman, Association of Aviation Training Organisations in Nigeria (AATON), in an interview with the conference committee in Lagos agreed to chair the event which will be held under the theme: ‘Sunset Airports: Economic & Safety Implications.’
Secretary, planning committee of the conference, Mr. Albinus Chiedu said in a statement the event would be conducted physically and virtually.
Like the past editions, Chiedu said the event will also draw key participants and organisations from within and outside Nigeria’s aviation industry.
He said Bernard in his acceptance speech, lauded LAAC for its consistency in mirroring and shaping the travel industry in Nigeria through its objective and unbiased reporting.
According to the secretary, Bernard said he accepted to chair the conference because of his belief in the growth of the Nigerian aviation industry, describing the theme of the conference “timely and germane” especially at “this time when operators are faced with myriads of industry challenges.
“The first time I attended LAAC event, I was impressed by the high-level discussions by panelists, stakeholders and participants. I am therefore humbled to receive the honour of being the chairman of the 26th LAAC Conference and Awards. I believe that LAAC’s contribution to the aviation industry is worthy of recognition by all.
“At Finchglow Holdings, we thrive on a culture of professionalism and excellence. These virtues are not alien to members of this esteemed association.
“I believe previous LAAC events have gone a long way in shaping the Nigerian aviation industry, hence, I am delighted to collaborate with the league,” Bernard was quoted as saying.
Chiedu stated that the 26th annual conference would centre on solutions to the multiple challenges faced by stakeholders in terms of safety and economics as a result of operating sunset airports in Nigeria.
Bernard is the group managing director of Finchglow Holdings, the parent company for Finchglow Travels, Finchglow Holidays, Lagos Aviation Academy, FCM Travel Solutions, Nigeria; Prysm Investments Travelden Nigeria Limited, Finchglobal Nigeria Limited and FinchAir.
He is also the chairman of the Airline and Passenger Joint Committee (APJC) and the former president of the National Association of the Nigerian Travel Agents (NANTA), the umbrella body for the over 6,000 travel agencies operating in Nigeria.
Bernard is also a member of the Hospitality and Tourism Committee of the Institute of Directors (IoD), a member of SKAL International and a member of the Nigeria-South African Chamber of Commerce (NSACC).
