The Nation Newspaper

Category: Tourism

  • Promotion of culture, tourism will attract investors says Minister

    Adekunle Jimoh Reports

     

    Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed at the weekend emphasised the promotion of cultural festival.

    The duo said this in Offa, Offa local government of the state at this year’s Ijakadi Festival.

    Alhaji Mohammed, who was represented by the state Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) Segun Adeyemi said that “promotion of cultural will attract investors to the county from across the globe.”

    Governor AbdulRazaq restated his administration’s commitment to grow culture and tourism in the state.

    He acknowledged the self-driven development initiatives and resilience of the Offa people and how their support in the run up to the election had been very decisive in the Kwara’s political struggle.

    Said he: “The Ijakadi Offa Festival typifies your resilience and ingenuity as a people and this has continued to make you critical stakeholders in the socioeconomic and political space of Kwara State.

    I urge you to never relent in this regard because healthy competition — devoid of destructive jealousy — is key to development.

    “The 2020 budget contains provisions to promote our cultural heritage as Kwarans as well as project our festivals to the world as part of our efforts to making tourism a major revenue earner for the state.

    “The Kwara we used to know was renowned for the entrepreneurial spirit of its people. Our people were not always dependent on handouts from any government but things changed along the way following a deliberate effort to impoverish the people.

    Even then, many people and communities resisted such tendency. I am proud to say that the people of Offa stood tall during those dark years. I must thank you for that.

    “Going forward, this administration will promote qualitative and inclusive education, enterprise, and sustainable development with all seriousness. The 2020 budget has pointed in that direction and your own son is at the centre of our developmental initiatives as the commissioner for enterprise.

    Read Also: Nigerian Tourism Board for digitalized visa

     

    “One of our upcoming projects is the renovation of the Offa Grammar School. We have completed the tender process to rehabilitate the Offa water works to strengthen sanitation and public health.

    “We have recently fixed the Popo Road, while we have also awarded the construction of Tipper Garage-Amuyo-to-Adesoye College road.”

    The Olofa of Offa Oba Mohammed Muftau Gbadamosi at the occasion bestowed on the governor a chieftaincy title of Soludero of Offa Land.

    The monarch said AbdulRazaq has made history as the first Governor to attend the event since it began eight years ago and gave him the traditional title (roughly the comforter of Offa Land) because his attendance shows his love for culture and community development

    “This is the eight edition of Ijakadi festival and His Excellency is the first Governor to attend this programme. I’m giving him the title of Soludero of Offa Land. That’s a mark of our appreciation for your coming. This event is about our love for equity, justice and fairness. We have always shown the way not only in Kwara but in Northern Nigeria. We are always helping our community,” the Olofa said.

  • 2019: Nigerian tourism year of wins, losses

    2019, for the Nigerian travel and tourism industry, was supposed to be the year of a new beginning with the re-election of current government. However, the industry witnessed progress and disappointment. Below are some of the major talking points in the travel and tourism industry 2019.

     

    January

    Scarcity of passport booklets at NIS Although the lack of passport booklets at offices of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) was not a new development but a carryover from the previous year, it almost developed into a crisis.  Many Nigerians that applied for passports at the first quarter of the year had to wait for several weeks, if not months,  to get their passports.

    The scarcity of passport booklets led to some touts working  with insiders in the NIS to capitalize on the situation to extort money from desperate Nigerians in need of passports.

    The scarcity, which started right from January,  did not ease off completely until towards the end of the third quarter of the year when the NIS received a consignment of 50,000 passport booklets to address the backlog of passports estimated to be about 33,000 nationwide.

    Also, the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mohammed Babandede, was said to have set up a task force for Lagos to clear the backlog of passports in the state.

    May

    Nigeria-Ghana Friendship Club at 2019 Accra Weizo

    Accra, the capital city of Ghana, played host once again to West Africa’s regional travel and tourism expo, the Accra Weizo. The La Palm Royal Beach Hotel was the venue of the two-day event which brought together travel and tourism industry professionals from West Africa and other parts.

    The event is jointly organised by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and Nigeria’s Ikechi Uko-led Akwaaba African Travel Market (AfTM) team. 2019 was the fifth edition.

    Delivering a good will message at the event, the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), a parastatal of the Ministry of Culture and Information, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, took the audience on a history lesson on relations between Nigeria and Ghana.

    He used the opportunity to announce the establishment of  the Nigeria-Ghana Friendship Club  to champion the course for the unity, peace, stability and development of Nigeria and Ghana in particular and the West Africa sub-region at large.

    Citing examples of several football legends like Yakubu Mabo who played for Nigeria and scored the first goal at the Nigeria National Stadium when it was commissioned in the ’70s, Otunba Runsewe pointed out that Mabo was actually Ghanaian born. He also mentioned that Abdul Razak who captained the Black Stars of Ghana was actually a Nigerian, among several others.

     

     Nigeria loses Fatimah Garbati

    Mrs. Fatima Garbati was a major voice in the Nigerian travel and aviation industry for decades. Travel and tourism was her passion and remain true to it till she took her last breath. She was one of the brightest lights in the Nigerian travel and tourism industry. On May 31, 2019, Mrs. Fatima Garbati died at the Obafemi Awolowo Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. She had gone to Ile-Ife to attend the annual General Meeting (AGM) of Nigerian Association of Tour Operators (NATOP).

     

    June

    Pastor TB Joshua  gathers 40,000 worshippers in Israel

    In an epoch-making event by any African Christian preacher, Nigerian televangelist, Pastor  T.B. Joshua, drew about 40,000 thousand worshippers from all over the world to Mount Precipice, Nazareth, Israel. The event was tagged Nazareth Meeting with TB Joshua. The event, which many described as hugely successful, was held on  June 23 and24.  People came from all over the world to worship at the Amphitheatre of Mount Precipice in Nazareth, the hometown of Jesus Christ.

    Joshua has held several high-profile international events, predominantly in Latin America and Asia, but this will be his first meeting in the Middle East region.

     July

    Air Peace begins Lagos-Sharjah-Dubai flight

    On July 5, Nigerian airline, Air Peace, began its first long-haul flight. The flight is for Dubai from the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

    Speaking at an event to commemorate the inaugural flight, Allen Onyema, Air Peace chairman, thanked Nigerians for their patronage, which he said, had made the company the largest airline in West Africa within four years of operations.

    Onyema noted that the entry of the airline into long-haul services would end the exploitation and short-changing of Nigerians by foreign airlines.

    “A six-hour flight from Lagos to Europe costs more than an 11-hour trip from Johannesburg to the same destination,” he said.

    “So, we want to put an end to theinstead of our competitors will put back their money into the country’s economy.

    “We are optimistic that even if our competitors begin to drop their fares that Nigerians will be wise to stick with us.”

    Air Peace has scheduled to operate flights on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays to Dubai, while Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays would be for flights back to Lagos.

     

    September

    Xenophobic attacks in South Africa

    From the first day of September, South Africa witnessed waves of attacks perpetrated by South African locals against foreign nationals, especially Nigerians. They targeted foreigners and their businesses.

    It’s unclear what exactly triggered the latest round of attacks, but the unrest erupted on Sunday, September 1, 2019.

    Some accounts by local South African media said the violence was the consequence of the killing of a taxi driver in Pretoria, one of South Africa’s  cities, on Tuesday, August 27.

    The driver was allegedly shot and killed when he confronted drug dealers and police officers allegedly involved in selling drugs.

    Taxi operators then commenced protests that eventually metamorphosed into revisiting aggression against foreigners who are believed to fuel the drug trade and other crimes in South Africa.

    Some business owners  in Johannesburg were left with nothing after recent outbreaks of violence targeting foreigners. Air Peace later volunteered to send aircraft to South Africa to evacuate Nigerians caught in the orgy of violence.

    Nigeria beats Ghana in 2019 Jollof Rice  War

    Nigerian jollof rice adjudged the best over  Ghanaian  jollof rice in a competition held at the 2019 Akwaaba Travel Market held at Expo Centre, Eko Hotel and Suite, Lagos .

    The jollof rice competition was organized by the Akwaaba Travel Market, where Nigeria’s jollof emerged the winner of the competition.

    The competition featured representatives from Nigeria and Ghana only because Gambia pulled out of the competition. The Nigerian jollof rice, which emerged the best, was prepared by Chef Idowo Olajide Michael as he won a weekend trip to Ghana while the Ghanaian chef won a trip to Calabar.

     

    December

    Buhari promises visas on arrival for all African visitors in 2020

    Visa on arrival policy is used by countries to encourage foreigners to visit their countries for business and leisure.

    It reduces the difficulties and bottlenecks associated to with visa applications through the countries’ embassies. Some countries in Africa like Ethiopia, Ghana, Rwanda, Benin Republic and few others offer visa on arrival.

    Officials of the Nigerian government had been making statements in the past about the willingness of country to introduce visa on arrival.

    However, no less a person than President Muhammadu made a policy statement of the willingness of the country to introduce visa on arrival.

    President Muhammadu Buhari announced that Nigeria will issue visas on arrival for all African nationals. Buhari announced the plan while attending a peace and development summit in Egypt.

    Even though many travel experts believe that the decision would be a major boost for the efforts to free movement of Africans, there are, however, no concrete details beyond Buhari’s statement in Egypt, exact details of the new policy remain unclear.

    Nigeria seeks to enlist more sites as UNESCO Heritage Sites

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed announced plans to enlist more of Nigeria’s cultural sites as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

    The minister stated this during his visit to the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove in Osun State which is one of the country’s two World Heritage Sites.

    He said Nigeria’s quest to have more sites designated as World Heritage Sites is due to the abundance of sites that qualify for such listing in the country.

    Alhaji Mohammed said the country will leverage on its election into the UNESCO World Heritage Committee last month to push for the enlistment of more sites.

  • Eko Hotel to build 35-foot singing tree for Christmas

    Okorie UGURU

     

    Eko Hotel last Sunday unveiled their countdown to Christmas with a special Christmas lighting event that had the whole covered with radiating colourful Christmas decorations. The hotel says it is part of their build-up to a special Christmas package: Tropical Christmas in Wonderland.

    Speaking on the Tropical Christmas in Wonderland, the hotel’s Director of Marketing,  Iyadunni Gbadebo, said the essence of the hotel’s Chritmas package was born out of our desire to relive the true essence of Christmas.

    We want to give people all those lost memories about how Christmas used to be and bringing it all back. We are doing that, especially for families who would usually travel out of the country for Christmas; we want to make them stay in the country and relive the essence of being together and enjoy being together with their families. “

    Mrs. Gbadebo, who said the hotel was already fully booked, gave a run-down of the hotel’s programme for the Yuletide:  “This is used to lighten up ceremony.

    The main programme starts from December 23 to  28.  Some are on three night packages, and some are on five night packages.

    At the moment, our hotel is sold out, but we still have tickets available for people who want to come and attend the event without necessarily staying in the hotel.

    “To give you a bit of an idea of what that season would be, on the 23rd when people check in, we have amster barking class for children at Sky Restaurant. If you are on a family package, you will have the opportunity.

    “We are going to have two cinemas in the hotel; we are going to have a big game arcade in the hotel. We are going to have wonderland and we are also going to have a crèche because we know that there is a lot of other shows happening in the hotel.

    For families who want to drop their kids, go for shows and come back and pick up their kids. It is a secure and safe place to have your kids.

    “On the 24th when Santa Claus arrives with a 20-man procession, the procession will glide through Eko Suites through all the four buildings.

    When he gets here, he is going to do the same thing that happens tonight. We are going to lighten up the place for Santa. They are families lodging in the hotel to come down and watch or join the procession.

    Read Also: Another Christmas celebration in Nigeria

     

    “From there, Santa will go to the Wonderland Garden to meet the kids for a pajamas party. It is going to be magical.

    There, we have a 35-foot singing tree, the first of its kind in West Africa. The kids will sing Christmas carols with the 35-foot tall singing tree. After that, dinner would be buffet style barbecue.

    “On 25th, the families will wake up to an amazing gifts by  Santa. They are going to deliver Christmas presents to each room.

    “At the lunch time on Christmas day, there will a big Christmas party. In the evening of that same day, there will a Christmas carol concert.

    We had earlier auditioned for children who have talents to come and showcase their talents. For the first time, no big celebrity is going to be   there. Our children are going to the stars of their show.

    “26, 27 and 28 are wind-down days. For those on the package, it is an all-inclusive package.  But for those coming from outside, they have to buy specific tickets for specific shows. “

  • Yuletide: Southern Sun unveils offerings

    Okorie UGURU

     

    Southern Sun Hotel Ikoyi, Lagos, recently held its end-of-the-year cocktail. The hotel used the opportunity to unveil its Yuletide offering.

    Speaking at the event, General Manager, Southern Sun Ikoyi, Mark Loxley expressed gratitude to the clientele of the hotel and staff members for taking out time from their busy schedule to unwind and spend quality time with the hotel, which further reiterates the level of commitment to the Southern Sun Ikoyi brand throughout the course of the year.

    Also speaking at the event, Sales and Marketing Manager of the hotel, Ubong Nseobot, unveiled festive season offers the hotel has designed for guests.

    The offers, such as the Special Christmas package involving great discounts per standard room each night, complimentary with breakfast for two .

    Read Also: Southern Sun marks10th anniversary

     

    Head Chef Stanley and his team, during the end-of-the-year cocktail,  treated guests at the event to an array of sweet and savoury bites which included fresh prawns, beaf suya, juicy steak burgers, fine wine and champagne alongside assorted cheeses and much more, as they relaxed and networked over glasses filled with finely blended wine and juices.

    The evening continued with a special session of lucky prize draw, wherein guests had the opportunity to win prizes,  courtesy of Southern Sun Ikoyi ranging from scrumptious dinner for two with champagne, Sunday brunch for four with champagne and a luxurious weekend stay at the hotel.

  • Nigeria seeks to enlist more World Heritage Sites

    Okorie UGURU

     

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has announced plans to enlist more of Nigeria’s cultural Sites as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

    The minister stated this during his visit to the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove in Osun State, which is one of the country’s two World Heritage Sites on Tuesday.

    He said Nigeria’s quest to have more sites designated as World Heritage Sites is due to the abundance of sites that qualify for such listing in the country.

    Alhaji Mohammed said the country will leverage on its election into the UNESCO World Heritage Committee last month to push for the enlistment of more sites.

    “The essence of this visit, gentlemen, is to renew national and global attention on this World Heritage Site, and to formally announce our plan to enlist more sites as World Heritage Sites.

    As you are aware, Nigeria has many veritable sites that meet the requirements of being declared World Heritage Sites. We are taking immediate steps to first enlist the sites on the tentative list, after which they can be inscribed as World Heritage Sites,” he said.

    The minister listed the sites being considered for World Heritage Site designation as the ancient Kano City Walls, which witnessed the famous Trans Sahara Trade of which Kano was the dominant force; the Brazilian Baracoon Museum/Point of No Return in Badagry, Lagos State, where slaves departed Nigeria to the Americas and the forests in Oke-Igbo, Ile Oluji Axis of Ondo State, which was the inspiration for D. O. Fagunwa’s book, ‘Igbo Olodumare’ .

    Others are the Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Nigeria’s largest national park which is located in the eastern provinces of Taraba and Adamawa, close to the border with Cameroon, and the Ogbunike Caves in Anambra State.

    Read Also: UN to remove Jesus’ birthplace from danger list of heritage sites

     

    Alhaji Mohammed explained that a World Heritage Site is a landmark or area which is selected by the UNESCO as having cultural, historical, scientific or other forms of significance, and is legally protected by international treaties.

    “The World Heritage Site list is maintained by the international World Heritage programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 states parties, ” he said.

    The Curator and Site Manager of the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove, Mr. Adekunle Fatai, who conducted the minister and his entourage round the grove, said one of the criteria used by the UNESCO to enlist the grove as a World Heritage Site is the fact that it is a living site where cultural activities still take place.

    In the course of his tour of the 75-hectare grove, the minister visited the Osun River; the first palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo; the hanging bridge constructed by the British in 1936; and other historic sites.

    The minister later paid a courtesy visit to the executive governor of Osun State, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola.

  • BON Hotels to open 22 properties in Nigeria

    By Okorie Uguru

    Twenty-two hotel properties will be added to Nigerian hospitality industry in the next three years. The 22 hotels by BON will add  about 6000 bed spaces to the Nigeria hospitality industry.  The new hotel developments are set for major city routes in the North and South. Among the major cities and towns the hotels will be sited include: Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt as well as towns and cities such as Kano, Yola, Kebbi, Ekiti, Ibadan, Warri, Enugu, Asaba, Owerri, and Awka, and some others.

    These new properties will focus on not only local and international business travellers, but keen leisure travellers too.

    According a press release by BON Hotels, the tourism landscape of Nigeria has long been dominated by business travellers and many of these travellers have stayed in traditional, multinational hotels with a run-of-the-mill approach to hospitality. This Bon Hotels group has changed in its  approach to hospitality expansion in the country.

    Beginning in Abuja, BON Hotels first acquired a quaint 20-roomed hotel back in 2015 and transformed the previously struggling boutique hotel into a flourishing business-focused property, determined to provide loyal clients with reliable conferencing facilities and outstanding hospitality.

    “Our ethos has always been to add value, create tourism circuits, expand the hospitality sector into all regions holistically and, in so doing, extract value. That’s been my mission and goal,” says BON Hotels Executives Director for International West Africa, Bernard Cassar.

    BON Hotels, which manages and owns hotels, lodges and resort throughout Southern Africa, as well as West and East Africa, continued with hotels in Enugu, Asokoro and further properties in Abuja, and the growth since then has been exponential.

    Read Also: Transcorp Hotels grows first half net profit by 83%

     

    “The hospitality industry in Nigeria has previously focused on major cities like Lagos and Abuja, with multinational companies copying and pasting their approach of launching large hotels in the capitals in African cities, and ignoring the potential of venturing into smaller but as important cities. This has resulted in limited options for both local and business travellers, who would not always be stationed in major cities. This has resulted in limited options for both local and business travellers, who would not always be stationed in major cities. This is where BON Hotels seeks to fill the gap and provide visitors with quality accommodation and outstanding conferencing facilities run at international standards in cities like Warri, Asaba and Apo.

    “Since the inception of our hotel group, we have always advocated for investment in Africa by Africans, and being able to work with such talented groups of people across the continent makes us not only hopeful, but assured of the exponential growth of the hospitality industry throughout Africa,” he said.

  • Nasarawa to partner NATOP for cultural tourism

    By Okorie Uguru

    THE National President of Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) Hajia Bilkisu Abdul was hosted recently by the Executive Governor of Nassarawa State   Abdullahi Sule. The Nasarawa State Governor invited NATOP President to discuss on the state’s plans  to host an annual cultural festival.

    He told Hajia Bilkisu that he was impressed with the news he has been reading about her work at NATOP. NATOP, he said, was becoming a household name among many Government agencies as the new president has reached out more to major Nigerian organisations and state government.

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    ‘I want to partner with  NATOP so that I can drive tourism in my state’, declared the governor.

    He invited the NATOP President to bring her members to enjoy the tourism resources of the state. He asked her to bring her BOT members and executives to meet with the Commissioner of Tourism to arrange a Tour of Nassarawa for NATOP members.

    The NATOP President thanked the governor for the wonderful reception accorded her and promised to come back with a bigger team of the best tourism experts in Nigeria. ‘Engaging NATOP to help promote Nassarawa State will yield great result. We shall not disappoint you. My members are capable,’ she promised.

    NATOP has recently  been engaging  with the National Park Services and recently hosted its monthly meeting at its Head office in Abuja. She was also hosted by the Chairman House Committee on Tourism Senator Owelle Rochas Okorocha at the National Assembly.

  • Southern Sun marks10th anniversary

    By Okorie Uguru

    Southern Sun Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos recently marked its ten years of operation in Nigeria. As part of the events marking the celebration, the hotel hosted its customers and business partners to a cocktail.

    Speaking at the party, the General Manager of the hotel, Mr. Mark Loxley for  their unwavering commitment, especially   key stakeholders who have consistently supported the journey of the Southern Sun Ikoyi brand over the past 10 years.

    “We will also use this medium to appreciate the support of the management team members and stakeholders, whose fantastic support has allowed the hotel to be positioned as a prominent member within the hotel community in Lagos and has also allowed us as a business to take pride and position as a true 4-star internationally branded hotel within the Nigerian Industry.” Mark added.

    Mark Loxley also noted that the concerted efforts in the ongoing staff trainings and development have always been core within Southern Sun Ikoyi’s mandate in ensuring that the human capital within the hotel is maximized to the fullest extent, which has further allowed for a great and consistent service culture to be extended to all the hotel’s guests.

    Read Also: Radisson to add more hotels in Nigeria

    He used the medium to share updates on the recent renovations embarked by the Hotel across its rooms in upgrading its fittings, rugs and other resources which were all sourced by local vendors in promoting local trade patronage and ensuring that guests have a memorable experience at the hotel.

    Also speaking at the occasion, Director, Southern Sun Ikoyi, Ernest Orji, recalled the unique opportunity afforded him in playing a role in reviving the then decrepit Ikoyi Hotel and the transformation into the new Southern Sun Ikoyi, forged by the strategic partnership with the Tsogo Sun Hotels.

    Ernest Orji used the medium to appreciate the highly esteemed customers of the hotel, who through their patronage have and positive reviews have ensured that hotel has remained a choice destination and most especially, the fantastic staff and their work ethic, which has consistently kept the hotel as the best performing hotel in Lagos.

    The dignitaries at the event which included the Consul General of the South African Consulate General, Darkey Ephraim Africa, Chief Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Honorable Lateef Abiru, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Networks Limited, Olusegun Ogunsanya, amongst many others was a gathering of stalwarts from across the Lagos business community in celebrating an iconic brand.

  • Why we introduced Pay-Small-Small – Wakanow CEO

    By Okorie Uguru

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Wakanow.com Limited, a Nigerian online travel booking platform, Mr. Adebayo Adedeji has disclosed that his company introduced its Pay-Small-Small (PSS) product as part of efforts to help Africans find solutions to travel related economic and financial challenges.

    According to Adedeji, “In most parts of Nigeria and Africa at large, travelling is still considered a luxury because of the economic position of the general populace.

    Read Also: Wakanow promises better travel experience for customers

    The fact that over 50per cent of the Africa population live below the global poverty line and the abysmal state of the formal credit system in most developing countries, has made travel financing quite challenging.

    Wakanow is committed to finding lasting solutions to these travel related challenges.

    “Our ground-breaking travel financing product called Pay-Small-Small (PSS) is a Flexible instalment payment plan that gives the traveller as much as 150 per cent savings on their travel expenses”, he added.

  • Amachree calls on FG to involve state govts in electricity management

    By Okorie Uguru

    A frontline promoter of Nigerian culture, Chief Mike Amachree, has called on the Federal Government to involve state government s more in the production and distribution of electricity. He said this will fast-track development in the country.

    Amachree told reporters in Port Harcourt that  lack of efficient electricity supply is hindering the economic development of the nation. Chief Amachree noted that Nigeria, as the giant of Africa and  its numerous mineral resources, should have long ago overcome the challenge of electricity supply.

    Read Also: ‘Ofala Festival good for tourism’

     

    The current poor supply of electricity in the country,he added, is adversely affecting the hospitality industry as hoteliers and entrepreneurs spend a very huge amount of their of income on power generation. He described  this as  a minus for tourism development in the country.

    The tourism mogul emphasized that lack of electricity supply has contributed to the closure of many industries in the country noting however that no new investor would appreciate any business environment without electricity.