A travel expert, Mustapha Mohammed, has raised the alarm over the growing activities of unregistered operators in the travel sector, saying their negative impact on legitimate businesses is unquantifiable.

Mohammed, in an interview with journalists in Lagos yesterday, decried the proliferation of quacks posing as travel agents, which had not only tarnished the image of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) but also led to significant financial and emotional losses for genuine practitioners.

Mohammed, who is an aspirant for the position of First National Deputy President of NANTA in this month’s yearly general meeting (AGM), holding in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, called for stricter measures to ward off the activities of quacks in the profession.

Mohammed, who currently serves as the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NANTA’s Northern Zone, noted that despite the challenges, NANTA’s membership had witnessed steady growth, increasing to about 3,500 members over the past two years.

However, he stressed that more needs to be done to sanitise the system and restore public confidence.

He said: “One of the major reasons I am contesting is to correct the wrong notion about travel agencies. Our membership has been on the increase in the last two years and presently stands at about 3,500.

“But there are quacks in the system who are practicing and wrongly using the name of NANTA to dupe people, thereby bringing our name into disrepute. The quacks have dealt a huge blow to the image of NANTA, but we are ready to fight them and I am sure we will succeed.

“Their impact is draining us emotionally and financially. You can’t quantify the monetary impact on our business. When we come onboard, the quacks will not be able to operate again. We have a code of conduct that every member must align with.”

The aspirant also pointed out that some registered members are no longer active, a situation he said required urgent attention.

He disclosed plans to double the association’s membership base before the next AGM through aggressive outreach campaigns.

“We intend to carry out door-to-door campaigns to bring more practitioners into the fold while sustaining the current authentication platform for members,” he said.

Speaking on his motivation for seeking office, Mohammed said he is bringing a wealth of experience in travel agency management and marketing, backed by several professional certifications, including courses from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

He also commended the current NANTA President, Yinka Folami, for improving the visibility and recognition of the association’s leadership, noting that he would work with the president to build on the existing achievements.

On service delivery, Mohammed assured that NANTA members remained committed to protecting the interests of their clients by providing accurate and up-to-date travel information, particularly in visa processing.

On the dwindling airline commissions, Mohammed insisted it is a global practice, stressing that travel agents must adapt by exploring alternative revenue streams, including service charges.

He further emphasised the need for collaboration among stakeholders to advocate for incentives that would improve travel agents’ earnings.