The Nation Newspaper

Category: Tourism

  • What you need to know about Africa’s ‘tallest’ statue

    Alao Abiodun, Senegal

    On one of the twin hills in the Mamelles district of Dakar, Senegal, lies an incredible and magnificent edifice. This tallest statue in Africa is known as ‘African Renaissance Monument’.

    The monument depicts the sculpture of man, woman and child. It seen as a symbol of defiance and Senegal’s future prosperity.

    Shockingly, before the construction of this edifice, it was widely criticized both before and after its construction due to the enormous funds used in the process.

    The main entrance to the ‘monument de la renaissance africaine’ has a huge flight of stairs. There are over 200 steps to reach the monument base, making it a terribly difficult and exhilarating to climb. Hence, resilience and courage is needed to get to the top.

    At the premises of the monument, there are beautiful Senegalese craft stores and also some neat graffiti of murals found on walls at the parking lot.

    Read Also: Owerri: City of statues

    The Senegalese monument project began in 2006 and was completed in 2010, when former president Abdoulaye Wade began planning a massive hilltop monument that would represent Senegal — and perhaps Africa’s freedom from centuries of slavery and colonialism.

    According to records, the African Renaissance Monument is taller than both the Statue of Liberty and Christ the Redeemer.

    This statue is situated atop a 100-metre-high hill dominating Dakar’s skyline.

    The monument was built by Mansudae Overseas Projects, a North Korean state-owned construction company.

    The statue shows a giant shirtless man holding a naked baby while guiding forth a scantily clad lady.

    It said that this statue depicts a man holding an infant aloft in one arm and guiding a woman with the other. The infant pointing ahead indicates the nation’s glorious future, while the woman extending her arm behind shows she’s trying to acknowledge the nation’s troubled past.

    The African Renaissance Monument was unveiled to commemorate Senegal’s 50 years of independence from France.

    The view from the top is magnificent. One can see directly and visibly from the top the city of is Dakar, this magnificent view spreads out to the horizon. The airport is to the east, while Dakar itself stretches to the south

    The giant structure has continued to bring a great deal of revenue to the country tourist and nationals.

    A-giant like structure in Nigeria which is perhaps the tallest statue in Nigeria is the Queen Moremi Statue of Liberty, it was erected in 2016 by Oba Ogunwusi in the Ife palace. The 42 feet statue is the fourth tallest statue in Africa

  • FTAN chairman, Olota, others call for greater attention to tourism

    By Okorie UGURU

    STAKEHOLDERS and operators of Nigerian tourism sector have charged government at all levels in the country to focus more the tourism in order to achieve accelerated development of the country as the oil wealth is fast dwindling.

    The call was made in Lagos during a tourism seminar organised by the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET). The royal father of the day, the Olota of Ota, Ogun State, Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege, called on the government and Nigerians to explore tourism potential for job creation.

    Speaking on the theme, Tourism and Jobs: Better Future for All,  the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Chief Samuel Alabi, while welcoming guests to the event, called for concerted efforts by both the public and private sectors to ensure the country benefits from tourism.

    Alabi said tourism requires special funds and attention by the citizenry and that Nigeria is a large market that should be explored.

    Speaking at the event,  Oba Obalanlege said  Nigerians must stop depending on the government for job creation, but get creative to harness  the enormous tourism potential of the country.

    He said that festivals in each community could be developed by members of such communities to generate revenue, while ensuring that the festivals were developed over the years to attract local and International tourists.

    He said: “With the huge tourism potential we are blessed with in the country, we should not be complaining about lack of jobs. Individuals must be creative and tap into this tourism potential.

    “Nigerians need not look up to the government for job creation. Government is only meant to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

    “The second tallest building in Nigeria is in Ota. It should be better developed to attract international tourists. A lot more monumental buildings across communities can also be converted to tourist sites.”

    Earlier, Dr Gbenga Olowo, Managing Director, Sabre Network, West Africa, urged government to take the tourism industry seriously by  giving sufficient budgetary allocations to the sector.

    Olowo, who was represented by Mr Mayowa Badewa, Deputy Zonal Director, Western Zone, Sabre Travel Network, said that the tourism industry must be prioritised as huge employment opportunities could be derived from the sector.

    He said other African countries like Ethiopia, Kenya and Gambia were doing well in tourism because they had been able to work on improved connectivity, good infrastructure, visa relaxation policy and more.

    He, however, urged Nigerian government to collaborate with the private sector, intensify efforts in fighting security and terrorism, create policy for ease of doing business, good and safe roads for tourism businesses to thrive in Nigeria.

    ” We are known to be the giant of Africa, and Nigeria is not recorded in the list of the top 10 visited countries in Africa because we are not doing things correctly.

    ” Government should try to allocate huge revenue to the tourism industry annually because the returns will be in multiples at the end of the day.

    ” There are only two hanging lakes in the world. The one at Colorado, Unted States of America and the Ado Awaye hanging Lake in Oyo which is not well marketed for international recognition.

    ” The one in Colorado generates over a million visitors annually. We must let the world know what we have and encourage them to visit,” he said.

    Also speaking, the President of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort in Lagos, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, declared that the power of tourism sector in transforming a community, people and the country, was such that it can’t be neglected and the neglect of the industry over the years has not augur well for Nigeria and the people.

    He gave an example of how, he, through La Campagne, has succeeded in transforming the Ikegun community where his resort is based to one of the richest and fast-developing locality in Nigeria, describing how he has economically empowered the people and transformed their lives and the community.

    Mr Victor Edosomwan, Managing Director, Vicwan Limited, encouraged Nigerians to engage in critical thinking to ensure the tourism industry is improved to create jobs for the youths.

    He urged Nigerian tour operators to collaborate with international ones in order to woo more international tourists into the country.

    Also, renowned inbound tour operator,  Ladi Jemi-Alade, said  “Nigerians remain poor due to ignorance as most people lack comprehension on areas to explore for wealth creation”.

    He said Nigeria has all it takes to make tourism businesses thrive, but the youths lack the necessary information to explore the industry.

    His words: ” If Dubai can be doing exploits in tourism, as a city in a desert, Nigeria can do far better with all our endowments.

    ” As a country, we do not appreciate what we have; we have to look inwards to develop our tourism industry. The youths should be ready to learn and explore.

    ” We have lots of endowments in the tourism sector, but we, as a people, believe so much that the made-in-America is better than the made-in-Nigeria.

    “ We can’t get there if we don’t change our narrative and start developing our own tourism potential to help us to create wealth because tourism is a business and not a social affair.” he said.

  • Fed govt to launch policy on culture, tourism

    By Okorie UGURU

    THE Federal Government has said it would soon launch national policies on  culture and tourism. This was disclosed by the information and culture minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, during a meeting with the press.

    Alhaji  Mohammed used the opportunity to highlight some of the achievements of his ministry in the last four years. He outlined what  the federal government intends to achieve in the next four years.

    He said his ministry had finalized work on the Motion Picture Council of Nigeria (MOPICON) Bill and submitted it to the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

    He said the government would create proper regulatory environment for the sub-sector that has put Nigeria’s name on the global map, thus attracting the much-needed investment to the sector.

    The minister said the government would  establish the Endowment Fund for the Arts to create a legal framework for the financing of the sector and  plans national summit  for culture and tourism for the first quarter of  next year.

    In the last few years, the Presidential Council on Tourism (PCT) that was set up by former President  Olusegun Obasanjo has not sit for a meeting. The minister said this would change as the government plans regular meetings of the council to catalyze the growth of tourism. He said the ministry plans to  be having at least three meetings in a year.

    Also, in the plan for the next four years would be the implementation of the parts of the National Tourism Masterplan that constitutes low-hanging fruits.

    The programmes are: to complete work on the establishment of Tourism Statistics and Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), working with the UNWTO. We have already signed an agreement with the UNWTO in this regard;  institute a unified National Celebration of the World Tourism Day, instead of the current situation in which we have multiple celebrations; hold a National Council on Culture and Tourism in May next year, and then hold it yearly thereafter;   Organize a Regional Summit on Culture and Tourism, starting next year, with a view to working with other countries in the West Africa sub-region to foster the development of the sector; continue with our visits to tourist sites and attend as many festivals as possible across the country; finalize work on and launch our National Festival Calendar thisyear.

    Listing some of his achievements in office in the last four years, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said: “Within six months of assuming office (in November 2015), we decided to invite all stakeholders to a meeting, tagged the National Summit on Culture and Tourism, in April 2016 in Abuja, with a view to charting a new path for the nation’s Creative Industry. At the end of the summit, we set up an Implementation Committee to carry out the recommendations of the summit.

  • Ancient Afro-Brazilian building turns tourist hub in Lagos

    By Agency Reporter

    An ancient Afro-Brazilian building located in Onikan area of Lagos State has been converted to a tourist hub and renamed `Loving Lagos’ by a tourism enthusiast, Mr Lawon Adams.

    A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited the place reported that the duplex was transformed to a tourist site that would showcase Lagos history such as : art, craft, slavery, fashion, culture, music, and festivals.

    Adams told NAN that he decided to transform the edifice into a tourist hub because of his interest in tourism.

    He said that he had observed there were no museums exclusively showcasing the history and culture of Lagos State.

    Adams also said Lagos State as a cosmopolitan city/state with diverse rich cultural practices and history across all fields of life is capable of attracting tourists from across the globe.

    According to him, the tourists’ site referred to as `Loving Lagos’ will be opened to the public next month to promote the beauty and culture of the state.

    He said that the building was constructed by a Nigerian, the late Mr Joseph Akanni Olumilade Holloway in 1939 who had also been immortalised.

    Adams referred to Holloway as a skilled draughtsman whose design was highly influenced by the Brazilian/Portuguese style, imported into colonial Lagos at that time.

    “Sixty per cent of Nigerian population is completely disconnected from history; this is what propelled me into doing what I am doing today.

    “We need to create a repository of the history of Lagos where different things are exhibited to tell the story of the state across ages.

    “This is also a platform for everyone living in Lagos to come and tell their stories; being a Lagosian is unique because everyone has a root that can be linked somewhere.

    “Tracing the history of Lagos to a lot of ethnic background makes it unique and beautiful for people to indicate interest in visiting the state.

    “People from different places can hold exhibitions within the premises based on their cultures and history.

    ”I have retained the structure of the building but renovated it, putting safety into consideration,” he said.

    Adams said the tourists’ hub would be loaded with a lot of contents to educate people on the history of the state.

    Read Also: ‘Travel, tourism boost Africa’s GDP by 8.5% ’

    He said the hub had 400 books but with plans to increase to 10,000 with focus on the history of Lagos, Nigeria and Africa before it becomes operational.

    According to him, there will be choreographic displays of Lagos history from the 18th Century for all to see.

    He identified some tricycles and unique commercial buses peculiar to the state as some of the attractions the hub would capitalise on.

    “It is important to harness history before people who remember them die totally. At the end of the day, this place will be a place to really explore when it comes to Lagos history.

    “Our ‘Keke Marwa’ and ‘Danfo’ buses are some of the things the Europeans want to explore and that is why I am training people on how they can convey tourists with our ‘Keke’ and ‘Danfo’ buses to tourist sites in Lagos.

    “We all need to tell our stories to enliven our history and culture.

    “We all have a duty to groom tourism well enough to be able to generate revenue from it because it is a good money spinner for all and a veritable tool for job creation,” he said.

    NAN reports that the Onikan area accommodates tourist sites such as the Tafawa Balewa Square, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, Musical Society of Nigeria, City Mall, Onikan Stadium and the Freedom Park

  • Peace Air boss, others to grace ANJET’s tourism seminar

    THE Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET) has unveiled the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, as Special Guest of Honour, ahead of its October 8 tourism seminar billed for the Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos.

    The event will also witness the inauguration of the association’s new executive council and patrons.

    A statement released by the tourism writers’ body said the theme of the seminar is: ‘Tourism and Jobs: Better future for all’ in line with the annual yearly World Tourism Day (WTD) celebrations by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) on September 27.

    According to ANJET, other special guests of honour at the event include: the Director -General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe; Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Folorunsho Folarin-Coker; and that of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Momoh Kaabir; as well as the President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Alhaji Saleh Rabo.

    Read Also: South Africa grants Air Peace rights to operate daily flights

    The guest speaker for the proposed one –day seminar is Dr. Gabriel Gbenga Olowo who is the CEO of Sabre Network, while the panelists are: Allen Onyema, chairman/CEO of Air Peace; Ikechi Uko, publisher of Atqnews.com and organiser of Akwaaba; Mrs. Chika Ani, CEO of Esperanza Cakes; Victor Edosomwan, MD, Vicwan Limited (Hospitality and Lifestyle Consulting); and Lola Adefope, MD, BTML.

    The statement further disclosed that aside the inauguration of the newly-elected executive council, the new patrons to be formally inducted include: Otunba Wanle Akinboboye of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Lagos;  Oladipo Jemi – Alade of Jemi – Alade Tours; and Nkereuwen Onunge of Remlords Tours.

    Others are: Barrister Allen Onyema of Air Peace; Mr. Folorunsho Folarin-Coker of NTDC; Alhaji Momoh M. Kabir of NIHOTOUR; Ahaji Saleh Rabo of FTAN; Mr Bankole Bernard, President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA); and His Royal Majesty, Professor Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege, the Olota of Ota, Ogun State.

  • African Travel Times unveils 2019 awards’ nominees

    AFRICAN Travel Times, West Africa’s  only monthly travel and tourism magazine, has revealed names of its 2019 awards’ nominees billed for Sunday, October 20,  at the prestigious Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, Accra,  Ghana.

    Also, this year’s event would have His Royal Majesty, Odeneho Kwafo, Akoto III Akwamumanhene, gracing the ceremony as the father of the day.

    According to Lucky George, Publisher/Editor of the publication, the annual award, which was initiated six years ago, is to recognise excellence in the travel and tourism sector in Nigeria, West Africa and beyond.

    George revealed that this year’s award ceremony has assumed a new dimension because of interest from more key players in the sector.

    He equally said that apart from individuals, winners emerged from various industries, including hospitality, airlines, national/states and tourism agencies.

    In the airline category are:  Ethiopian Airlines (international) which emerged best for Africa; Kenya Airways as the ‘Most Supportive National Carrier’ for effective promotion of the Kenyan Tourism brand; Arik Air bagged the Most Recognisable Airline Brand [Nigeria] and Air Africa World Airlines, the Most Reliable/ Best Connectivity Airline (West Africa).

    In the hospitality category, West Africa winners are: Movenpick Ambassador Hotel (West Africa); Royal Senchi Resort, Number One Resort (West Africa); Tang Palace Hotel, Best Dining Experience Hotel of the Year (West Africa); Zaina Lodge, Best Safari Facility and The Envoy Abuja, the Most Modern and Environmental Friendly Facility in West Africa.

    Also, in the gvernments/agencies category, Akwa Ibom State, Top Sport Tourism Destination [West Africa]; Rivers State, Most Supportive Government in Sustaining Tourism Facilities [Nigeria]; Ghana Tourism Authority, Most Active Tourism Agency, West Africa, as well as South African Tourism, Most Effective National Marketing Tourism Agency [Africa] for the second year running; as well as Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Ghana as the Most Active in west Africa.

    In the Ghanaian category, winners are: Labadi Hotel, Five-Star Hotel/Longevity Award; Peduase Valley Hotel, Four-Star of the Year; African Regent, Three-Star Hotel of the Year/Most Authentic Ghanaian Hotel; Villa Monticello, Boutique Hotel of the Year; Maaha Beach Resort, Best in Ghana; Accra City Hotel, Green Hotel of the Year; Kwarleyz Residence, Best Apartment; Lou Moon Lodge, Best Eco-Lodge and Golden Tulip Accra Hotel emerging, Best Ghanaian Dining Experience.

    Other winners are: National Council for Arts and Culture [NCAC] of Nigeria, Most Active culture agency in West Africa; Gambia, Most Visited Destination in West Africa; YOKS Rent A Car, Ghana, Best In West Africa; Bernard Bankole, Most Active Association President, West Africa; National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies [NANTA], Most Active Association and Mrs. Susan Akporiaye, Most Active Woman in Tourism, West Africa.

  • Marriott Bonvoy Elite samples Rémy Martin XO Curates Opulence

    REMY Martin XO, a global name in the cognac industry and a product of Rémy Martin, a member of the Comite Colbert, a French Association of Luxury Businesses curated an opulence revealed experience for the elite members of Marriott Bonvoy in Lagos recently.

    The event described as the first of its kind in Nigeria sees selected Marriott Bonvoy Elite, the top echelon of Marriott international loyalty cardholders gathered at the Presidential Suite of Sheraton, Lagos, to have a taste of this exceptional cognac.

    Leading the Rémy Martin XO opulence revealed experience, Stephen Jimba, Nigerian Ambassador of Rémy Martin XO, described the experience as allowing guests to discover a deeper understanding and appreciation of the finer quality of Rémy Martin XO cognac through an exploration of textures, flavours and aromas.

    According to Jimba, “This opulence revealed tasting experience is especially curated for the Marriott Bonvoy Elite members to savour and appreciate the variety of flavours contained in the richness of aromas in a glass of Rémy Martin XO.”

    Read Also: Nasty C, Phyno, Wande Coal Party at Remy Martin’s Show

    The Rémy Martin XO tasting brings to life the intrinsic story of Rémy Martin and XO in an immersive experience through an opulent spread of flavours and delicacies as guests were treated to a magnificent table revealing the many layers of the XO flavour profile which includes decadent chocolate truffles, parmesan cheese, dried apricots and figs, pistachio cake, walnuts, spices and fruits as well as an array of Jasmine, Iris and Rose flowers.

    Xavier Carbonel, Rémy Cointreau Country Manager (Nigeria), said the Rémy Martin XO brand represents the long-term legacy and sophistication of fine premium French distillery.

    “We are proud to be associated with Marriott Bonvoy Elite. The Rémy Martin distillery is exquisite and superior giving you same taste irrespective of the time in history. This uniqueness of the brand gives us a competitive advantage,” Carbonel said.

    Barry Curran, Area General Manager (Nigeria) of Marriott International and General Manager, Sheraton Lagos expressed delight in partnering Rémy Martin XO to give their premium cardholders, Marriott Bonvoy Elite, a unique opulence revealed tasting experience.

    Marriott International has been focused on creating exclusive Moments

  • WTM London to reveal latest global travel research

    THE most current and thought- provoking research into global and regional travel trends will be revealed over all three days at WTM London 2019 (November 4 to 6).

    Research sessions commence in the WTM International Media Centre with Forward Keys’ research into the UK outbound market. Forward Keys, which analyze 17 million flights a day, will review the top 50 UK inbound flights, comparing them to last year and five years prior.

    The session takes place in the Press Conference Theatre (ME170) at 10.30 am on November 4 and is preceded by the chance to network over tea, coffee and pastries during the WTM Press Breakfast at 10 am.

    On Monday afternoon, World Tourism Cities Federation (WTCF), will present a session looking at China’s astonishing economic growth which has created a brand new group of travellers. The session entitled, Booming Chinese Outbound Market, will have a panel of experts to discuss in order to understand the Chinese traveller by sharing experiences and expertise from different angles.

    It will take place on the dedicated Asia Inspiration Zone at 12.15 on Monday, November 4.

    Tuesday morning will see Euromonitor International present a session entitled ‘Megatrends Shaping the Future of Travel’. Attendees will discover the latest developments for global travel and tourism performance.

    This session will give insights into upcoming trends in Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East and Africa. The key focus is on major drivers, consumer behaviour and attitude that are affecting travel companies’ bottomline. The research will prepare participants with the important knowledge to navigate the year ahead.

    Led by Euromonitor’s Head of Travel, Caroline Bremner, this session takes place at 11.30 am in the Press Conference Theatre.

    First thing on Wednesday morning at 10 am at the Press Conference Theatre, there is a session which looks specifically at research around sustainability in tourism conducted by MMGY and Destination International.

    The research is from a comprehensive survey issued to the global travel industry which looks at gaining insight into what companies are doing responsibly, how they are measuring the impact and what they hope to do moving forward.

    This research ties in with the World Responsible Tourism Day (WRTD), now the largest day of responsible tourism action in the world and focusing on responsible tourism efforts in the travel industry.

  • UAE prepares for Dubai Expo 2020

    In less than 400 days, the world will unite in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the much anticipated the Expo 2020 Dubai. Dubai has already exceeded expectations in preparation for what maybe would be a showpiece for the world.

    According to the organisers, the emirate would, during the expo, have 75 entertainment events every day. 111,000 new jobs will be created by Expo 2020. There will be 173 days in Expo 2020, and nationals from more than 193 countries would be expected to participate.

    With one year to go before the commencement of the expo, the countdown is on – the pavilions are being designed and constructed, tens of thousands of volunteers are signing up to get involved and Dubai is preparing to host what is set to be the biggest event in the history of expos.

    The UAE won the right to host Expo 2020 and became the first country in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia to do so. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai promised that Dubai would “astonish the world”, come 2020. And a year to that date it is already happening.

    With a massive ground area measuring 438 hectares . Dubai Expo 2020 located within the Dubai South district, close to Al Maktoum International Airport and easily reached from Dubai International Airport is undergoing its final stages of preparation.

    Approximately 200 hectares will form the expo gated area, and the remaining 240 hectares will feature supporting amenities and facilities, including the Expo 2020 Village for participants and staff accommodation, warehousing, logistics, transport nodes, hotels, retail and a public park.

    Read Also: ‘Why I’m bringing Dubai Hills Estate to Nigeria’

    The expo has four main entrances and three main sections, divided on its three subthemes (opportunity, mobility and sustainability) with Al Wasl Plaza at the heart. The plaza is said to bring together a physical manifestation of the main theme of the expo which is “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.” Significant events such as the opening and closing ceremonies will be held here.

    The expo site is equipped with a metro system (DUBAI metro route 2020) that has the capacity to take 46,000 passengers per hour to and from the expo site in under  16 minutes from Dubai Marina. This location will be the hub to innovative ideas , serial networking, investment strategies from October 20, 2019 to April 10, 2021, including the world government summit- Expo 2020

    The showpiece will kick off with the World Government Summit from November 22 to 25, 2020. It will be the biggest gathering yet since its inception with an expected attendance of over 10,000 high-profile officials, 30 international organizations and 600 experts and scholars.

    The four-day summit aims to cement the event’s status as a global platform dedicated to shaping the future of governments worldwide.

    Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future, said: “His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid’s directives aim to join efforts and ideas of over 190 countries to draw a global roadmap for the future at the summit, contributing to the success of the region’s major international event — Expo 2020 Dubai.

    “Set under the slogan, ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,’ the summit also aims to provide a platform to share the UAE’s success story as an incubator of tolerance, diversity and coexistence among its residents coming from 190 nationalities.

    The summit will highlight the successful government model of the UAE and share different experiences of world governments to innovate an efficient global government model and strengthen international cooperation to face rising economic challenges of a rapidly changing world.

    The summit foresees the role of future technology advancements in shaping the future of governments and explores solutions to face universal challenges posed by disruptive technologies.

    He said combining both events consolidate the UAE’s position as a melting pot of talents, hopes and aspirations that contributes to advancing the collective performance of world governments.

    Among those who have confirmed they’re involved are 193 different countries, as well as several major businesses and educational institutions. Under the Policy One Nation, One Pavilion, every nation is required to have a pavilion at the expo. Major attendees include the UK which plans to showcase British “innovation, creativity and leadership” at its enormous pavilion.

    Expo 2020 Dubai’s theme, “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future”, will provide a platform to foster creativity, innovation, and collaboration globally.”

  • Uganda explores Nigerian market

    Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) in collaboration with Ugandan tour operators will be present as the 2019 Akwaaba West Africa Travel Fair which begins tomorrow.  Uganda, with  cultural, historical and religious heritage, has lined up tourism experts from the tourism board and tour operators to market and promote its tourist potential to the West African market at the “Uganda Day” on September 22 at 2:00pm and at the expo schedule from September 22 to 24 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

    Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa whose diverse landscape straddles the equator with Lake Victoria (world’s 2nd largest lake) forming part of its southern border. It is from the same lake that River Nile, the world’s longest river, starts its (4,258 miles)journey at Jinja 80km east Kampala.

    According to a statement from Uganda’s tourism board: “Very many wonderful things have been said about Uganda by various authors and travellers who have had the chance to visit. Some talk about the charming weather, natural resources, rich culture, and history, while others talk about the lovely people whose hospitality is unmatched. Most quickly note the numerous beautiful birds and other rare wildlife species that are only found in Uganda. All that is true but there is more.

    “Uganda is the land of martyrs in Africa. This religious story is summarized in the Uganda Martyrs Trail. The Trail is an extra –ordinary journey of faith that literally gets in the footsteps of the first Christian missionaries and converts as they walked through Uganda preaching, teaching, healing and transforming lives –finally the places of their martyrdom.

    ”Its abundant wildlife as well as a home to 1,072 bird species includes some of the world’s rarest birds. Visit the world’s Heritage site of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, a renowned mountain gorilla tracking life changing experience. The white sands of Ssese Island, one of Uganda’s greatest and uncrowned beaches known for its tranquility that creates a perfect never –ending honey moon experience located in Uganda’s portion of Lake Victoria. Finally, Kampala the Capital city of Uganda – a city in East Africa that never sleeps and has earned the title of Entertainment capital In East Africa.”Fantastic wildlife and some of the friendliest people in Africa make Uganda unbeatable.”