The Nation Newspaper

Category: Travels on Saturday

  • Sheraton Abuja Hotel adds variety nights

    Sheraton Abuja Hotel has begun her Special Variety Nights among which includes the Indian Night and the African Night.  The Indian Night comes up every Friday with lots of exciting and memorable features which include tasty and affordable cuisines from different towns and cities in India.

    The menu comes at a great discount and is prepared by a world-class Indian chef, Arhtar Mashirwho. It also treats guests to live cooking, assorted Indian cocktails and beverages always available in great supply Plus Beautiful Indian Music and dances to wow you all through the night.

    Closely followed is the African Night which comes up every Wednesday night where guests are treated to delicious and tasty continental African cuisineswith assorted local drinks like zobo, kunu, furaetc,  as well as regular drinks, fruits / desserts.  The chef also treats guests to live making of pounded yam and isi-ewu (goat-head).

    Next is the Tasty Cuisine ‘Prime Rib Dinner’ every Friday night at the Obudu Grill of Sheraton Abuja Hotel. The dinner consists of a whole roasted prime rib served with Merlot wine gravy, olive oil, rosemary and garlic, roasted potatoes and much more. There is also the Ostrich Meat from South-Africa which comes in two varieties the dubble marinated ostrich and the butter basted ostrich and is readily available from Thursday to Saturday.

    Then finally is the Special Swimmers Package where swimmers get to swim for free after which they are treated to a sumptuous meal at the boat-house a great discount with a complimentary soft drink.

  • Dinner on dhow cruise

    Dinner on dhow cruise

    The dhow boats are common in the Gulf and eastern countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and East Africa. The boats have been in use in this area since 1785 for commercial activities like conveying of goods and passengers from one point to the other. But they are no longer as popular as they were for such purposes now. In Dubai, however, they have become key attractions in driving the tourist industry. Thousands of tourists troop to the quays of the Deira area of Dubai for a dinner cruise  adventure.  The dhow dinner cruise is a huge hit,  and in this write-up, Okorie Uguru recounts an experience on a dhow cruise.

    Adventure in Dubai comes in different forms and shapes. However, not many offer the opportunity for one to feel the essence of this gulf country like the dhow cruise.

    Wikipedia discribed dhow  as the generic name of a number of traditional sailing vessels with one or more masts with lateen sails used in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean region. Dhows are trading vessels primarily used to carry heavy items, like fruit, fresh water or merchandise, along the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and East Africa. Larger dhows have crews of approximately thirty,while smaller ones typically have twelve.

    Well, in Dubai, these traditional boats are used more for leisure cruises. It offers fun-seekers the opportunity to dine on middle eastern cuisines and also explore the creeks of Dubai leisurely, taking the skyline and some of the more traditional Dubai settlements. This is done in style.

    Arriving for the traditional dhow dinner cruise, one is a little uneasy by the rather austere nature of the boats. They are built with woods, a jutting front that ends with a sharp edge. From outside, the only thing that looks modern about the boats are the huge electric cable of tiny lights that is woven round the the boats like a Christmas tree. At night while sailing, what one sees is a floating  spectrum of colours rather than a boat.

    Most of the dhow boats on dinner cruse starts boarding around 8pm after the Moslem prayers. There are normally stewards that welcome one onbard with a  glass cup of fruit juice.  The interior of the boat is tastefully decorated, sharply different from what one sees from outside. It is not the normal Arabian living room sitting arrangement that seats are much lower with throw-in pillows to recline on. This is more of a Western  sitting arrangement.

    The most dhow dinner cruise boats are double-decker. Guests have the choice of settlement deep in the boat below or take a seat at the top. The top is obviously much better simply because it gives one better view of the Dubai in the night, a rather enchanting sight. Arabian music plays from the background as one sits. One may not understand the wordings of the music, but that does not stop one from enjoying the sonorous voice of the singers and the instrumentation which is eastern. Musicians sing about different things based on their reality,  but there is always one common topic that they sing about and this is love. Occasionally, habibi, the Arabian word for love, is not far away in the music.

    Gradually, the dhow set sail, the music continues to blare on the quiet Dubai creek and the silver water ripples as the dhow slices through. The light of the tall buildings reflects on the water.  Guests are allowed to sail and enjoy the calmness of the water and senses suck in the exquisite feelings. With a glass of drink, one could simply recline by the boat, enjoy the solitude of the blend of nature and man as seen in the water and the  modern buildings all around.

    Then the entertainment starts, the Sufi dancer comes on board to entertain. He twists and turns with his tambourine altered with some other objects.

    The dance is very intricate and done with a certain grace and elegance in steps. It is difficult to imagine how one could dance for such a long time without falling.

    Sufi dance essentially rotates about its own axis, and through this movement, the dancers alternate states of consciousness and mystical ecstasy, while his soul emerges from earthly ties to enter the kingdom of God. The dance is a universe of Sufi mystics to connect with God.

    It was dinner time and one after the other, the guests filed to the dinner table to serve themselves. There was no alcohol served. The cruise went on for about one hour and then it was time for the return journey. Along the way, more 20 dhow boats cruised by filled with people.

    Although some cruises offer performances by belle dancers, our was just the Sufi dancers. But most of the guests did not seem to mind as they enjoyed the performance.

      The guests can enjoy the exquisite oriental cuisine. Daily boarding starts at 8 pm and the dhow sets sail at 8:30 pm providing everyone aboard with a wonderful two-hour experience.

  • Bantaba speed dating holds next month

    The third  edition of the Bantaba speed dating will hold in Abuja in July.

    The Bantaba is a dating event that connects sellers of  travel products with buyers. In addition to the speed dating,  Abuja Bantaba will showcase the seven natural wonders of Nigeria.

    According to the organizers, the seven wonders is derived from a three-year search by experts.

        In January 2010, ATQ Magazine set up a committee to choose the 7wonders of Nigeria.

    After an exhaustive search and public voting, the project team announced the 7 manmade wonders of Nigeria, the famous “naija7wonders” in 2012.

    According to the project director, Mr. Ikechi Uko, “following the popularity and the acceptance of naija7wonders by Nigerians, we see the need to release other findings. It is only appropriate to release the results of the “7Natural Wonders of Nigeria”.

    Obudu Mountain Resort qualified as both manmade and natural wonder, but because of the Cable Car, it was listed as the premier manmade wonder of Nigeria.

     The 7 Natural Wonders of Nigeria are

        Ikogosi Warm and Cold Springs in Ekiti State, Ogbunike Cave in Anambra State,    Mambilla Plateau (Gashaka Gumti Park) in Taraba State,    Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi State, Owu Falls in Kwara State,     Confluence of River Niger and Benue at Lokoja, Kogi State and   Farin Ruwa Falls in Nassarawa  State.

      Abuja Bantaba is an annual event for workshop and exhibition. Aside the hosting the 7wonders party, the organizers say that they intend to show the key to owning the Nigerian Travel Market which is to know the answer to this Simple Question: “What does the Nigerian Traveller want”?

    Bantaba is bringing experts to speak on the Nigerian Traveller and his habits at this year’ edition holding on July 5.

    Some of the guest speakers at the workshop include  Uloma Egbuna -CEO Tour Brokers International TBI, Partner Gulliver Travels, South African Tourism Best African Tour Operator ,  Thobi Duma -Country Manager (Nigeria), South African Airways and Adefemi Adefope -Chairman HRG, former president NANTA,GSA,Delta Airlines, Chuka Agbu (SAN) – tourism lawyer (Lexavier Associates) and Eniofiok Ekong – President, Hotel Owners Forum Abuja (HOFA).

        Abuja Bantaba, 2013 organized by AKWAABA Travel Market & ATQNEWS.COM, is aimed at bringing travel business to Abuja as most companies concentrate on Lagos alone neglecting the travel potential in Abuja and the North which is huge.

    Abuja is the tranquil capital of Nigeria and an architectural master piece. The expo’s major function is one of a relationship broker that targets, attracts and matches the need of buyers and suppliers and will feature multimedia type exhibition, Travellers’ Award and workshop with certificates awarded to participants at the end of the event.

  • No ‘free lunch’ in dubai

    No ‘free lunch’ in dubai

    Dubai, the paradise in the gulf desert, has become a kind of a second home to many Nigerians. Thanks to the liberal visa regime by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), thousands of Nigerians troop there daily for business, leisure and conferences. Like any other country that Nigerians found themselves in, the normal character trait of Nigerians: loudness in everything they do.

    Outside the Nigerian tourist visitors, thousands of Nigerians permanently live in Dubai, most especially the Deira area. One would see them in every corner doing one form of business or the other.

    Because of these, many business organizations in Dubai have come to see Nigerians as an easy source of making money and as such ambush Nigerians arriving Dubai with juicy mouth- watering proposals all in a bid to rob the naive of their money.

    Early last month, on arrival at the Dubai International Airport, I was ambushed by one of these groups. As early as about 3:00am, Dubai time, when we arrived, these groups were at their stands at the airport. One of them, Emirates Vacation Club, approached me, offering a desert safari, a dhow cruise and a city tour of Dubai, all for free.

    But I was expected to do a simple thing in return-come  for a tour of their hotel facility and that then I will be entitled to any of these gifts. I had had an experience of desert safari, even though I’ve not gone on a city tour of Dubai.

    I had salivated at the idea of going on a dhow cruise. The dhows are traditional boats that ply the Dubai water that separates the Bur Dubai area from the Deira. In my other trips to Dubai, I had often seen them at night in their shining lights, cruising on the water and one could hear the oriental music playing as those on board dined. I wanted to experience it. So, I filled the form given to me and promised to call them after securing a mobile phone line to fix an appointment. I did that, but the story changed.

    After my initial contact with the person that introduced me to the programme, I was handed over to a lady who told me she was from Mauritius, and kept on calling my her brother. It was no longer a tour of the hotel, but I was supposed to sit down for a one-and-half-hour presentation at their headquarters located at Sheik Zayed Road.

    Even though that was not the initial agreement as I was only told of a tour of a hotel, I decided to play along instead of losing the chance to go on a dhow cruise.

    I arrived at their office, I think, on the 21st floor of the skyscraper and my ‘lecturer’ was a Nigerian who decided to migrate from London to Dubia after his schooling. I was made very comfortable, offered good refreshment and so on.

    Then, down to business. The person making the presentation asked me some questions on my vacation habit, where I had travelled to for vacation and the average cost of my family vacation annually. He told me that Emirates Vacation Club had an offer me whereby I would be part owner of their hotel, Emirates Hotels, for 97 years.

    Breaking it down further, he said the Emirates Vacation Club would be selling to people part ownership of their hotel. With the payment of S35,000 dollars, one would be a part owner of the hotel and free to spend a one-week vacation annually at the hotel. The deal would be for 97 years.

    To reinforce what they were selling, I was taken to the balcony and shown the tall Emirates Hotel that they were selling out. I was supposed to go and inspect the hotel. But it was not the S35,000 dollars deal that they were offering me, the club was even ready to given a discount if I could pay cash there and then. In other words, if I could cough up the cash there and then, I would be given a discount which would reduce the total amount I was to pay to about 25,000 dollars.

    Around me were many other individuals and couples being sold the same idea and being urged to make a commitment.

    Unfortunately for my ‘lecturer’, I was not having up to 700 dollars, and I did not intend to part with it. So, I came up with an idea. I told the vacation club staff that I was interested in the deal, and I was ready to invest in the hotel property.

    But I told him I wanted to go back to my hotel and think through the offer. The amount involved was huge, and, as a policy, I didn’t make on the spot commitment without going to think over it. He was not satisfied.

    He started re-explaining the whole concept to me, asking if there was anything he was supposed to explain or any area that I didn’t understand. I told him no, that it was my personal policy not to make on the spot commitment without having time to think it over.

    When he discovered I was not bringing out a cheque book to make a commitment,he went in and called his chain-smoking immediate supervisor who said he was from Lebanon. He came and started all over again, all in a bid to get a firm commitment from me. He told me he was familiar with Lagos, and when I asked him where he stayed in Lagos, he replied Banana Island. I stuck to my gun.

    He then threw the last dice. He told me that he would want to help me and that what would happen was that even if I was not having up to the amount that they were demanding, I should just deposit whatever I had and he would talk to his management to give me a weaver. That did not move me.

    That was when they knew that I was what, in the Nigerian parlance, we would call bad market. Reluctantly, they gave up on me and told me to go to the reception to wait so that my gift voucher would be prepared. That was what I was after. The Emirates Vacation Club was so disappointed with my no-show. I later collected my gift voucher and left.

    Of course, I went for the dhow cruise, but that is a story for another day.

    Emirates Vacation Club and others like them that many Nigerians see at the Dubai International Airport are legitimate travel organizations, operating in Dubai doing legitimate business, but Nigerian travellers should be weary of their aggressive marketing drive in their effort to sell.

    Nobody would be arrested or penalised for not entering into a deal he is not comfortable with in Dubai, but breaching a validly entered agreement may attract sanctions, hence the need not to allow these marketers to force one to make commitments one is not pleasantly disposed to.

    For visitors to Dubai, there are many mouth-watering offers, but one should always bear it in mind that these are shrewd business- men who want to make profits.

    In my own case, all sides kept to the agreement. I was to attend a presentation for my prize. I did and I was given the prize. There was no clause that I must make a commitment. When going for that deal or freebie that looks harmless in Dubai, one must have it at the back of one’s mind that there is no free launch in Dubai.

  • Ncpc gears up for 2013 pilgrimage

    The Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) and the state Christian Pilgrim Welfare Boards have begun earnest preparation for the 2013 Christian pilgrimage exercise.

    The members of the NCPC board and the state chairmen and secretaries of the Christian Pilgrim Welfare Boards across the country converged for a pre-visit to Israel, Rome and Greece for the inspection of hotels, facilities and biblical sites as well as bid opening and evaluation for interested ground handlers who had earlier submitted their bids for 2013 pilgrimage exercise.

    In his welcome address at the Marada Suites, Matanya, Israel, where the chairmen and secretaries were lodged, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), who is also the Chairman of the NCPC Board, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh thanked God for the safe trip he granted all delegates who had come from different states.

    He urged the NCPC board members, staff and delegates of the CPWBs to carefully inspect the hotels that would be visited in order to ensure that Nigerian pilgrims are given the best.

    The NCPC chairman carefully spelt out the bench- mark and the pre-requisitie for the hotel inspection and advised the delegates not to compromise standards because, according to him, “we want to be sure that the hotels are well checked.”

  • ‘Development of domestic tourism ‘ll boost economy’

    ‘Development of domestic tourism ‘ll boost economy’

    For tourism to contribute meaningfully to the economic development of the nation, there is urgent need to expand the domestic market by creating linkages within Nigeria and the neighbouring countries, including East of Africa.

    The Chairman, Tourism Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Larry Segun-Lean, who made this remark, said tourism would also promote the cultural heritage by using destination, marketing plan and operation, as well as providing opportunity for investors and other stakeholders in the industry.

    “We have to create linkages, destinations in the country.All the hotels and restaurants at the moment work independent of one another, but we need to bring everybody together so that when a visitor comes whether from within or outside Nigeria, the person knows what to see, where to go and spend more time and thereby spending more money,” Segun-Lean said.

    He said it was the responsibility of the government to provide the amenities, including marketing orientation for cultural sites and monuments, as well as the promotion of cultural brands.

    Speaking with The Nation during the Pre-Centenary Celebration Lecture in Lagos, Segun-Lean challenged the government and other stakeholders to take full advantage of the use of the new technology in promoting cultural tourism by generating specific information that would give accurate description of cultural monuments, events, facilities, services and resources as obtainable in every part of the country.

    This, he said, would intensify awareness of how valuable cultural tourism is to the economy, believing it would promote understanding of cultural offer of a destination and meaning to the tourist, adding that cultural association and destination management organizations would value location, hospitality, attraction and distinction of the cultural sites.

    The theme of the lecture, which was “Promoting Cultural Tourism in Nigeria: The Past, Present and the Future”, is expected to critically analyse cultural tourism in Nigeria in the past one hundred years with a view to charting a new course for the industry in the future.

    Segu-Lean, who called for collaboration of leadership in the sub-sector, maintained that culture, if well harnessed, could change perception of a place and contribute meaningfully to the economic growth of the nation.

    The President of the chamber, Goddie Ibru, said government must put in strong measures to bring a lasting solution to the socio-economic and political problems in the country, including insecurity, inadequate infrastructure and harsh business environment to enhance tourism development.

    He further said transportation and technology are part of challenges that directly impact on the tourism industry which the government must address with urgent attention.

  • ‘International tourism receipts grew by four per cent in 2012’

    Receipts from international tourism in destinations around the world grew by four per cent in 2012 , reaching US$ 1075 billion. This growth is equal to the four per cent increase in international tourist arrivals which reached 1035 million in 2012.

    An additional US$ 219 billion was recorded in receipts from international passenger transport, bringing total exports generated by international tourism in 2012 to US$ 1.3 trillion.

    According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourism receipts hit a new record in 2012, reaching an estimated US$ 1075 billion (euro 837 billion) worldwide, up 4% in real terms, from US$ 1042 billion (euro 749 billion) in 2011.

    “It is encouraging to see that the growth in international tourist arrivals was equalled by a comparable increase in spending in spite of continued economic challenges” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai.

     

     

     

  • Suntan Beach agog as LG chair hosts the less-privileged on Children’s Day

    The chairman of the Badagry West Local Council Development Area, Hon. Joseph Hontoyon Bamgbose, has dedicated himself and the local government to the welfare of the mentally challenged and the motherless children at this year’s Children’s Day celebration.

    The chairman, who treated the children of Lady Atinuke Oyindamola Memorial Home for the mentally challenged and Hephzibah Orphanage Home, both in Araromi and Opeyemi areas of the local government area respectively, at the popular Suntan Beach to a musical and special meal ,said all children were created by the same God and must be treated same way by the government, irrespective of their challenges.

    The chairman, apart from providing free transportation for the children, also organized a musical splash tagged “Suntan Beach Children’s Day Musical Splash.”

    Speaking during the celebration, the director of Konitrex Limited, the organizer of the programme, Mr. Kennedy James, said since the establishment of the resort about 13 years ago, none of the council chairmen had done such in the life of the less-privileged children in the Badagry area.

    He said: “For the first time in the history of Children’s Day celebration in the Badagry area of Lagos State, the less- privileged were able to meet with other children of the opposite condition which gave them a sense of belonging.”

    Mr. James appealed to private organizations and philanthropists to assist the less-privileged children in the two homes, particularly in the provision of medical facilities and transportation to enable them attend national and local events.

    He charged the children to see life as a challenge which must be tackled with all it deserved to make greatness out of depression.

    The administrators of the two homes, Mrs. Atinuke Oyindamola of Lady Atinuke Oyindamola Memorial Home and Miss Eka Konsit of Hephzibah Orphanage Home commended the chairman for sponsoring the programme, particularly to have specially treated the children of the homes uniquely.

    Both administrators and social workers appealed to the government to consider the plight of children in such situation and help the homes in the areas of infrastructure and regular medical attention.

    They also called on private organizations and government agencies to come to the assistance of the less-privileged.

     

  • Hadur announces packages

    Hadur Travel and Tour has announced its latest packages for the second quarter of 2013. The tour operating company has received the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission(NCPC) private tour operator licence which authorises the company to take pilgrims on holy pilgrimage. .

    According to the company’s chief executive, Mrs. Olufunke Taiwo, “busy executives longing to visit Israel to fulfil a lifelong dream and enrich their spiritual lives now have a great opening to realize their dreams”

    She said her company has a five-day low cost Jerusalem pilgrimage. It started in March and targeted at giving all potential as well as existing clients of the firms with busy work schedules who desire to explore the holy land the opportunity to do so.

    Taiwo also said Hadur was into agro tours. He said: “Our first business tour for 2013 was an agro study tour of Songhai farm in Port Novo in February. It was followed by the budget tour. Other exciting trips to delight our customers include August budget pilgrimage to important holy sites in Israel spiced with leisure and October Rome / Israel package.”

     

  • Abta hosts business travel forum in Lagos

    Delegates from all over the country will be visiting Lagos on June 11 for the ABTA Business Travel Executive Forum and Cocktail Reception being hosted at The Wheatbaker Hotel.

    This event is aimed at companies who send staff on business travel throughout Africa and across the globe, as well as the region’s leading TMCs, travel agents, airlines, hotels, travel press and more.

    The event will feature keynote sessions delivered by the country’s foremost experts on business travel, addressing the current trends, challenges and opportunities within the West African airline industry, practical solutions for day-to-day difficulties faced when moving travellers around Africa, updates on the business travel best practice in other African hubs and a roundtable open industry discussion on supplier and customer relationship management.

    The event will end with a Networking Cocktail Reception hosted by The Wheatbaker Hotel.

    “We are extremely excited to be visiting Lagos again in June,” said ABTA founder, Monique Swart. “This region is always so extremely vibrant, pulsing with opportunities, and we are looking forward to providing some high-class educational contents and networking opportunities to assist local industry professionals in keeping their finger on the pulse of the Nigerian business travel industry.”