Renowned journalist and cultural tourism advocate Frank Meke has been named the recipient of the 2024 Pioneer Tourism Journalism Leadership Award. The prestigious award, instituted by the National Tourism Transportation Awards, is a flagship initiative of the Institute of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ITPN).
Meke’s illustrious career began at Vanguard Newspapers, where he helped establish the publication’s award-winning Travel and Tourism Pages. Over the past three decades, he has received numerous accolades for his incisive and developmental reporting in the tourism sector, including the Nigerian Travel Journalism Award by the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) and the Tourism Advocate Award by the National Association of Nigeria Tour Operators (NATOP).
A passionate advocate for Nigerian tourism, Meke is widely recognized for his work as a cultural tourism columnist and broadcaster, having pioneered Nigeria’s first cultural tourism radio program. He is also a maritime tourism influencer, a certified nature conservation educationist, and a trustee of both the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN) and the National Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters of Nigeria (ATBOWATON).
In a letter dated November 22, 2024, and signed by Shettima Abdullahi, a Fellow of the Institute of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (FITPN), Meke was nominated for the award in recognition of his exceptional contributions to travel, tourism, transportation, and hospitality reporting. Abdullahi praised Meke’s unwavering commitment to excellence and his influential role in interpreting these vital sectors of the Nigerian economy.
The Pioneer Tourism Journalism Leadership Award will be presented to Meke during the Dinner and Gala Night of the National Tourism Transportation Summit, scheduled for Wednesday, December 4, 2024, in Abuja.
This accolade is a testament to Meke’s dedication to promoting Nigeria’s tourism industry and his role as a trailblazer in tourism journalism.