Platform unveils solutions to resolve travel challenges

 Platform unveils solutions to resolve  travel  challenges 

A technology - driven outfit  , SettleQuick, has unveiled a platform offering  solutions to  travel-related challenges for new immigrants seeking to  secure  temporary and permanent accommodation, study consultation, local employment, automobiles, and credit reference  for Nigerians and other Africans trying to relocate and  pursue  opportunities in foreign lands.

The company said it is driving the initiative  to ease the burden of new immigrants using  reliable service providers in many countries across the globe.

Speaking at the official launch of the platform yesterday in Canada, its Co- Founder and Chief Executive Officer,  Dr. Sunday Olorunsheyi, said the  initiative will cater to the travel-related difficulties of new immigrants, who are   managing uncertainties as they move  from one country to another.

With the resolve to bridge the gap, ostensibly propelled  by  lack  of trust between the new immigrants and members of the host community, Olorunsheyi said the platform will provide succour to navigate the frustrations many Nigerians and African experience while trying to find their feet and  achieve a delicate balance.

He said :" Migrating for work or study can be really frustrating even when you think you have prepared hard.

“There are so many challenges ahead which you might not be aware of. Lack of total trust between the immigrant and members of the local community has been found to be the centre of all the challenges that immigrants face when they arrive in a new country.

“An indigenous house owner would naturally be skeptical about letting a stranger stay in their house, but that’s where we come in. Settle Quick is designed to bridge the trust gap between immigrants and the host community by ensuring that immigrants are verified of their criminal history and financial status in order to be accepted by the host.”

The company’s solutions  comes at a time when immigration remains a pressing issue for many individuals seeking to relocate, reunite with loved ones, or pursue new opportunities in foreign lands.

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), immigrants currently  constitute about 30 percent  of Canada's population. 

In 2022, Canada welcomed over 431,000 new permanent residents, and in 2023, this number is expected to grow to over 465,000.

In the first quarter of 2023, according to data from the IRCC, Canada recorded 5,755 Permanent Residents (PRs) from Nigeria alone, marking a substantial 32.5 percent rise compared to the same period in 2022.

Similar trends are seen in countries like the UK and the US, which continue to receive Nigerians in their hundreds and thousands. However, not many immigrants are having it rosy on arriving at their new location.

Speaking on the startup's business model, co-founder, and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr Wisdom Ezekiel, noted that the team had partnered with trusted and verified service providers who were expected to make travelling and resettlement seamless for onboarded subscribers and users.

He said: “We are very pragmatic in our approach. We have engaged some of the best hands in the industry as partners. We are literally on a mission to end travel-scams globally.

“Our users can sign up on our platform and go to bed with their two eyes closed. We have studied the system and identified where many competitors are failing, especially in the aspect of trust. We take the pain to verify partners, so that any travel agent engaged by our users on the platform can be trusted without fright.”

Ezekiel said the playform's vision was beyond Canada, that North  American State was only a pilot as they hope to help immigrants globally to achieve seamless settlement in any country of the world.

Also speaking, the Chief Technology Officer ( CTO) , Mr Ademuyiwa Adetunji said  the team was building a formidable one-stop marketplace for all immigration and tourism support services. He said SettleQuick is aggregating service providers and connecting them to users through a tech-driven integrated network.

“Some of the services obtainable on the platform include those relating to securing both temporary and permanent accommodation, study consultation, local employment, automobiles, and credit reference.

“Our mission is clear; to make the transition to any country in the world as smooth as possible for both tourists and immigrants,” Adetunji added.