The Nation Newspaper

Tag: tourism

  • Tourism honeypot

    •Turning the Ransome-Kuti family house into a museum is good on many fronts

    Few families would trump the Ransome-Kuti family as icons of education, icons of female rights and icons of general enlightenment, during the 20th century

    Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, reverend gentleman and ace teacher, was the founding president of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT). His wife, Olufunmilayo, was an exemplar in women’s rights, particularly in the male-dominated cosmos of Egbaland.

    Indeed, in Ake: The Years of Childhood, Prof. Wole Soyinka’s childhood biography, the author graphically painted how Mrs. Ransome-Kuti, assisted by his own mother, who he simply called “Wild Christian”, orchestrated affairs, during the women’s rebellion against the Egba feudal order.

    The Ransome-Kuti couple would go ahead to unleash, on their country, three iconic sons — Prof. Olikoye Ransome-Kuti (the quiet one, world famous paediatrician and foremost public advocate of primary health); Fela Anikulapo-Kuti (the arch-iconoclast, revolutionary musician and intrepid government critic); and Beko Ransome-Kuti (no less rebellious medic and unfazed human rights activist, at the cruellest era of Nigerian military rule). Add their sister, Dolupo and famous cousin, Wole Soyinka, you see a clan, almost alone in moving history.

    What did the household, in which these Ransome-Kuti siblings were raised, look like? Is it possible to fly back in time and space; and have a glimpse? Could such a voyage galvanize the present generation to essay even higher heights, seeking motivation from these past greats?

    That is the sweet prospect of converting the Ransome-Kuti home, at Isabo, Abeokuta, latterly gone to seeds, into some museum. If well delivered, it might yet be a new day for history, for heritage and for tourism.

    Still, it is a stern rebuke to a people without a sense of history to have allowed such a potent symbol of history, culture and heritage to go to waste. That makes the rehabilitation, which both the Federal and Ogun State governments are embarking upon, very sweet. That is the path to tread.

    Still, the irony of ironies, in the whole affair, is that the rehabilitation appears tied to the 20th anniversary of the passage of Fela — perhaps the most popular (or notorious, depending on where you stand on the moral divide) — of the Ransome-Kuti siblings.

    Fela, alive, was the ultimate but unrepentant bohemian. He did women. He did drugs — basically marijuana, which thick stench often followed him and his crowd wherever they went, the law be damned! For that, the parent-next-door was always wary of Fela and his unorthodox influence.

    But that is the Fela outer crust, which not a few still insist led to his relatively early death. Still, pierce the interior and what you get is a beautiful, irrepressible spirit, that would go to any extent to insist on the human dignity, even if it meant losing his life in the process.

    When most were still stung by the awe of the military, Fela had penetrated the empty case and come up with the unflattering verdict of rot. His grim report came with his scalding music that not only enraged the military but also unnerved the powers-that-be.

    A classic, of that classy but cheeky musical indictment, was Zombie, that immensely popular anti-military album. That went a long way to cut the power-drunk and misbehaving soldiers to size. It might not have been clear to many back then but it also helped to return the military to the barracks.

    It is hardly any surprise, therefore, that even 20 years after his death, Fela still rides the waves of controversy. The Lagos State government just honoured his memory with a statue. That “head-less” statue has earned the ire of many. But for others, it has brilliantly portrayed the “Abami Eda” essence of the quintessential Fela.

    That could well birth a new and vibrant tourism market, to earn hard currency from aliens, thirsting for the Fela and Ransome-Kuti myths. The yearly Felabration, starring a musical feast, could be a starting point to get sated on the Fela musical essence and rich heritage. Then, the train leaves for the Abami Eda statue, on to a voyage to the Fela parents’ museum in Abeokuta, en route to consuming other tourism fares.

    This prospect of a vibrant tourism market, that provides jobs for tourist guides, caterers, transporters and the hospitality industry is sweet. Yet, it won’t fulfill its potential until it is matched by fitting infrastructure in good roads and rail.

    The Ransome-Kuti monument holds a lot of promise. It shows that way to how a people can earn a living and boost their economy, leveraging on the good deeds of great Nigerians that have passed away.

     

  • Reducing medical tourism

    •Maintenance of hospitals is vital to treating Nigerians at home

    As Nigeria struggles to come to grips with the troubling phenomenon of rampant medical tourism, stakeholders must realise that it cannot be resolved by simple fixes. This is why Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s recent remark that the emergence of the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) will stem medical tourism falls short of the mark.

    The vice-president, who was represented by the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, was speaking at the inauguration of the 400-bed facility built by Aare Afe Babalola, the founder of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

    Correctly deploring the billions that had been spent on overseas medical treatment, the vice-president called upon other well-meaning Nigerians to initiate similar projects, and by so doing, partner government in its efforts to improve the fortunes of the country’s health sector.

    The construction of ABUTH is a heart-warming development whose monumental significance is only further enhanced by the fact that it is a private initiative. Visitors have testified to the comprehensiveness and currency of its medical equipment, with the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, declaring that its emergence had obviated the need for Nigerians to go abroad for medical procedures.

    ABUTH is a welcome addition to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), and will definitely result in a marked improvement in healthcare delivery in the state and in the surrounding region.

    However, ABUTH by itself cannot bring about the cessation of medical tourism, as desirable an objective as that would be. The phenomenon is a complicated one. It is caused by a variety of interlocking causes, including poor health facilities in Nigeria, the growing incidence of medical scandals, inadequate electricity supply, antiquated and non-functioning equipment, and a sometimes-unjustifiable lack of faith in the efficacy of indigenous medical professionals.

    Reversing this lamentable situation requires a correspondingly comprehensive approach. The construction of new facilities such as ABUTH is definitely helpful, but is not adequate in and of itself. The recent closure of the N41 billion Ibom Specialist Hospital in Akwa Ibom State after its private managers terminated their contract with the state government is a clear demonstration that the building of hospitals must be accompanied by clear goals, measurable performances and workable contract arrangements.

    The proper maintenance of healthcare facilities and equipment is also vital to stemming medical tourism. Nigeria has witnessed a succession of well-equipped hospitals launched with fanfare, only to suffer neglect and decline a few years later.

    The National Hospital, Abuja, is perhaps the most obvious demonstration of this problem. Built to offer world-class health services to members of the political elite in the nation’s federal capital, it has become a shadow of itself, beset by staffing problems and insufficient equipment, including non-functioning MRI and Lineal Accelerator machines.

    Recent revelations about the state of the Aso Rock Clinic provide even greater cause for concern. If the medical facility set up to cater for the health needs of the First Family lacks basic medicines and consumables, there can be little hope for conditions in less-influential hospitals.

    There is also the vexed question of leadership by example. If public office-holders routinely resort to medical tourism, they lack the moral right to question other Nigerians when they do the same thing. There can be no greater demonstration of faith in indigenous healthcare than the use of local health facilities – a point powerfully made by the late South African President, Nelson Mandela, who never went abroad for medical treatment.

    Nigeria spends between US $1 billion and $3 billion on medical tourism annually, with deleterious consequences for the economy, especially foreign exchange rates. If this situation is to change for the better, it will require better planning, increased competence and genuine patriotism.

  • A push for tourism in Badagry

    A push for tourism in Badagry

    Members of the Hoteliers Association of Nigeria (HAN) in the Southwest have met in the historic city of Badagry  to chart a new course for  tourism. During the four-day event, participants harped on the economic possibilities of culture, tourism and taxation, among others, reports Assistant Editor (Arts) OZOLUA UHAKHEME.

    From the palace of the Akran of Badagry Kingdom to the first storey building in Nigeria, enroute the Badagry heritage museum and slave route (Badagry Marina Port), delegates to the conference on tourism and hospitality had a splendid experience in the ancient town.

    With the theme: The Emerging market trends in tourism and hospitality sector of the Nigerian economy, the conference’s second edition drew delegates from Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states.

    Driven by the need to find proactive strategies for harnessing Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and tourism, the Hoteliers Association of Nigeria members gathered at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) Complex at Topo, for a four-day event. It brought the spotlight on the rich and economic potential of the culture and tourism industry in the face of recession.

    The choice of Badagry as host-city for the conference, the organisers said, was informed by its rich cultural and tourism potential. And so, the first point of call was the palace of the Akran of Badagry Kingdom.

    Reiterating the uniqueness of Badagry city to the economy of Nigeria, De Wheno Aholu Menu Toyi 1, Akran of Badagry Kingdom, who received the association’s executive officers at his palace, observed that the town, home to the biggest land port in Nigeria, will soon be home to the biggest seaport in Africa

    According to the monarch, the choice of Badagry as the host of the conference reaffirms the community’s role as a hub of aquatic tourism in Africa. He noted  that Badagry community is now one of the oil producing communities in Nigeria.

    With a feel of the town’s abundant heritage, the innkeepers also embarked on a tour of some of the historic sites spread across the community. Places they visited included  the first storey building in Nigeria, the Badagry heritage museum, slave route (Badagry Marina Port), Seriki Abass Brazillian barracoon and the site of the early Christian missionaries cemetery that houses the mass burial of over 250 foreign missionaries who died of malaria and other ecological diseases.

    Speaking on the theme of the conference, Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Muda Yusuf, charged the hoteliers to take advantage of the technological revolution in the business sector to upgrade their operations, while urging them to partner with the media to project their hospitality brands to the global community.

    The President of the Hoteliers Association of Nigeria, Southwest Zone, Chief Jerome Adoroh, expressed disappointment at the attitude of th government towards development of the tourism sector.

    On the relevance of the culture and tourism sector on the economy, he observed that the sector is one of the world’s largest employers that has brought development and growth to both urban and rural areas. In his view, this significant role has had multiplier effects on other sectors of the economy.

    “The sector over the years has been plagued by erratic power supply, lack and shortage of skilled workers, multiple taxation, cowboy tactics and antics of officials of different organs and departments, some of which have further caused untold pains and hardship for operators of the industry,” Adoroh said.

    He noted that the association, which has about 70,000 corporate members, is a voice that is championing the cause of the hospitality industry, while praising the operators of hotel business in the country for demonstrating resilience, notwithstanding the turbulent economic challenges faced by the country.

    “The conference is expected to serve as a veritable platform to guide them through basic knowledge and education required in fixing the day to day challenges facing the industry,” he noted.

    While decrying the government’s lack of development of the sector, the innkeepers called for tax rebate and harmonisation of taxes and levies at the federal and state level. He, however, charged the government and the National Assembly to reexamine tax administration in Nigeria, particularly how it has negatively affected the tourism and hospitality industry.  He further urged the Federal Government to do all it can to work on harmonising the tax system, adding that the burden is heavy on the operators amidst lack of basic social infrastructure.

    Adoroh said:  “As responsible corporate citizens of the country, we believe that revenue generation by the government through taxation is a veritable source of economic growth, thus our resolve to perform our civic duties. However, in doing this, our tax obligation is not supposed to be a peril to sustainability of our businesses.”

    The tax session anchored by a tax commentator, Mr. Muyiwa Matuluko, which featured representatives of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and an accountant and chartered tax practitioner, Prince Thomas Olofin, shed light on certain taxation issues bedeviling the hotel industry.

    The hoteliers were charged to cultivate the habit of keeping financial records as a means of reducing tax liabilities, noting that hoteliers pay more taxes and levies when services of qualified accountants are not employed.

    According to Olofin, excess tax charged on hotels by tax administrators often is not commensurate with the actual sales or turnover of the hotels. He, therefore, charged the owners of hotels to employ competent accountants and keep financial records to avoid double taxation, while appealing to government at all levels to reduce hoteliers’ tax burden to encourage them to pay.

    In his paper entitled: “Productivity improvement in the time of recession in Nigeria”, Mr Layi Abidoye, charged hoteliers to prioritise and isolate business opportunities that have the highest probability of resulting in sales and improved profits.

    “Hoteliers are not getting basic encouragement: we are the ones providing the roads, electricity and other social service”, lamented the association’s deputy president, Prince Olufemi Egbodofo, adding: “These are things that ordinarily should have been done by the government. We are the ones creating means of livelihood to Nigerian  due to this responsibility”.

    He also noted that hoteliers’ role as employers needs the attention of the government, decrying that “the bills and taxes being leveled on us is daunting and has the capacity to ground the hospitality sector”.

    “Recently the Federal Government promulgated a law that says 15 percent should be paid on rooms and foods used by our clients. The same government is still receiving money over the same conditions. This to us is double taxation which cannot continue. About 18 different taxes and levies are being paid to the government in some states in the Southwest. Everyday more are springing up.

    The organisation’s general secretary, who is also a medical doctor, Dr Dapo Olaleye, said he ventured into the industry because of the “need for a life full of varieties”. While calling for policy change, he noted that until the right people who understand the potential of the sector are placed in positions of authority, the tourism sector will probably not witness remarkable growths.

    “Nigeria’s hospitality industry needs president and governors who understand the economic benefits of tourism sector government officials have created so many problems for the hospitality sector, such that the hotels that cater for the welfare of both local and international tourists in being plagued with unfriendly and harsh government policies. Its administrators make unfriendly policies capable of wiping out the gains of the sector

    “It is sad that the majority of investors in hotel business are pensioners and retired workers who are now over burdened with huge tax. Tax administrators have turned themselves into tin-Gods to frustrate those people who have divested all they have labour into the tourism sector.

    The association honoured Chief Folashade Tinubu-Ojo as its Grand Matron.

  • We will use tourism, festivals, carnivals to boost revenue – LASG

    We will use tourism, festivals, carnivals to boost revenue – LASG

    The Lagos State Government ( LASG ) on Friday said that it would use tourism – related activities such as festivals, carnivals, exhibitions and conferences to boost the revenue base of the state.

    Mrs Adebimpe Akinsola, Acting Commissioner of Tourism, Arts and Culture, said that tourism is a veritable platform that can be used to drive revenue earnings of a state.

    According to her, the policy thrust of the government is to partner with the private sector in boosting the revenues of the state.

    “The government door is open for public and private partnership to increase its Internally Generated Revenue ( IGR ) through tourism and other related activities.

    “Lagos State Government is ready to partner any individual and corporate body with laudable initiative that will move the tourism industry forward, and indeed other sector of economy, ”she said.

    Akinsola said that festivals draw attention of international participants, tourists and investors closer to feel and see what a state or country could offer in terms of its tourism, arts and culture potential/assets.

    “It will also help to boost foreign exchange earnings, create jobs for indigenes, boost commercial activities, increase hotels and other related tourism outfit patronage, ”she said.

    She said that local and foreign visitors would visit tourist sites, patronise local cuisines, buy locally-made goods/souvenirs and also do business.

    “When hotels and other tourism outfits are selling, they pay their tax, and by extension, revenue is coming to the state,” Akinsola said.

    The acting commissioner assured local and international tourists/visitors of maximum security in all the tourist sites across the state.

    “The government is working closely with security agencies to ensure adequate security in the state.

    “As far as security is concerned, all hands are on deck to combat any unforeseen challenges; the emergency and safety in Lagos State is intact, ”she said.

    She said the Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration was working assiduously in placing the state as premium destination for tourism.

    “The state government has partnered many organisations on tourism programs such as beer festival, tourism summit, art exhibitions, cultural day and several others.

    “Government is still ready to collaborate with more organisations and provide opportunities for new investors in the sector,”she said.

    NAN

  • Tourism is untapped goldmine

    Tourism is untapped goldmine

    The Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Folorunsho Folarin-Coker, says the tourism sector can become another goldmine if the structures and facilities in the industry are optimised. In this interview with select business editors in Lagos, he speaks on strategies to rejuvenate the sector and other issues. LUCAS AJANAKU was there.

    What is your assessment of the tourism industry in Nigeria?

    In Nigeria, we have some traditional forms of tourism that have not been invested in; therefore, the returns from them are constantly dwindling. They are also seen as leisure community activities that are not income-generating or taxable. That’s why the business aspect of it needs to be refocused. In Nigeria, we are also lucky, apart from having this cultural heritage- destination tourism, we also have over the years been able to develop new medium of cultural expression that has come to even dominate in the world. If you look at our music- a few days ago I was in Toronto, there was a protest march and they were playing Korede Bello’s ‘Godwin’ and singing to it. I had to come out of the car. It was unbelievable. Our fashion is very strong. Our film is number two in the world. I went to Toronto International Film Festival- it is a business. Film production is a big business globally. The film festival is a business on its own and that is where tourism again needs to look at all these new mediums of cultural expression and start to define them as businesses. The Zuma Film Festival in Abuja needs to be like the largest film festival in Africa since the largest business in Africa resides in Nigeria. We are number two in the world, but we don’t even have the number largest film festival in Africa. Something is seriously wrong in terms of how we define our tourism assets and how we use them for business. If you look at sports, we are a sports-loving nation, particularly football. I challenge you to turn on your TV set on Saturday in Nigeria, you can watch La Liga, you can watch EPL, South African football and all that but you cannot watch Kano Pillars; Iwuanyanwu National play or any local league for that matter. And we have a 20 strong league. Again, if you look at tourism as a business, it will compel us to look at certain things. Why is there so much money in EPL and how many people are watching this EPL in England? How many people are in Europe and are watching La Liga? How many South Africans are there? Why are their leagues so globally strong? Television! People want to watch it on television. Television focuses on them and as television focuses on them, advertising becomes a very significant thing. Television focusing on sports allows advertising to come in; allows the revenues that we need and the sports stories to also grow.

    What is the place of branding in tourism business?

    One of the areas we have problem in Nigeria is: even when we get something right, we don’t know how to sustain it. Even where Chief X makes money, he doesn’t know how to transfer it to the next generation. How many millionaires of my father’s days were able to manage the money to successfully transfer it to the next generation? This has to do with branding. It is about branding and consistency in improving consumption. CocaCola is sugar, water and colouring, we all know it. We can make drums of it. But we buy CocaCola because it is a brand. At a point when CocaCola discovered that people were no longer buying the product the way they were doing before; they started branding it, using people’s names on the bottle of the drink – Lola, Yemi, Kola, etc – to make us buy more, and if you didn’t buy, somebody would buy it for you. Somebody would say, ‘see your CocaCola’. That’s the power of branding. Branding drives consumption. It focuses attention and creates an emotional connection to a product that allows you to consume more of what you know you shouldn’t probably be consuming, but you continue to do it.

    Now, if you look at the logo of NTDC, it looks like a military detachment regiment somewhere, but look at the rest of the world- South Africa, Singapore, Croatia, Bangladesh, Malaysia – you can see how friendly, warm and engaging they are. So, one of the first things I did was to look at the brand NTDC as a master brand and created a sub-brand called TOUR NIGERIA, simply in line with the CocaCola principle that for me to create an emotional connection with our Nigeria, by a Nigerian and for a Nigeria, I needed to create something that was simple and fun.

    Why ‘Tour Nigeria’?

    First of all, the focus of NTDC is on domestic tourism. Domestic tourism is simply the only sustainable form of tourism that you can ever get. It entails using what you have best in your home, locality, region and in your country. It is the only form of tourism that can withstand shock. For instance, when they blew up an aircraft coming out from Egypt, people still go to Egypt. When they shut up a shopping mall and killed people recklessly in Kenya, people still go to Kenya. It is because they have a strong domestic tourism industry that the international tourism can set up. One is a shock absorber, but allows the growth of the international. Domestic tourism, because it is local, strengthens our establishments- our hotels, if we consume more of our hotels, our restaurants, tourism heritage sites, and our tourism events here, you find out that it will become stronger. It is when it is stronger that it also strengthens the institution- the government, the agencies, the taxation that come off it. It is only within that structure that eventually the international bodies will be looking and say this is the ultimate; we want to generate billions of dollars. But if we don’t take it as a business, if we don’t invest in it; if we don’t set the right policies to drive it, we cannot expect to reap the yield that we are looking for, and the rest of the world being able to partake in.

    What is the relationship between a country with youthful population and a successful tourism industry?

    Our population is over 180 million. It is the densest concentration of black people in the world. It is the most populous country in Africa. If you look our demographics, we are also fat in the middle because we have the age bracket 18-35 that makes up the bulk of our population. This group is digitally connected; they are the socially mobile and they are a productive workforce. Add that to whatever infrastructure we have, to Arts and culture as we have it; to entertainment as we have it; we have an opportunity to accelerate the development of tourism because all our needs and assets are already existing. It is not like manufacturing where you have to go and get the machine, the labour and all those things to start to build. It is not like agriculture where you will need to go and get the land, till the land, plant your seed, wait for it to grown and harvest and take to the market.  All we need is already in existence in group of manageable structure for tourism to become a serious income earner for Nigeria. So, after rebranding, we “Tour Nigeria”. “Tour Nigeria” is a very simple brand that we created to focus on our domestic tourism agenda. We also created the acronym called ‘CHIEF’. It is a five-point action plan. C- Stands for corporate governance and regulation; H – for human capital development; I – for Infrastructure development; E- for events and marketing, and F- for finance and investment.

    Now, what I am trying to do in NTDC is to put NTDC through this 5-point action plan. In terms of corporate governance and regulation, we’ve been through first and second reading at the public hearing to try and repeal the old bill which was set up in 1992 and enact a new bill so that we can bring the policies that govern tourism into 2017 and the next 10 years. If we don’t change the regulatory framework or the legal backing, we cannot hope to grow tourism the way we want do it; and some of the things relating to that- there’s tourism levy that will populate a tourism funds, and that is already a tax that is existing; it is just for us to be given the money for tourism.

    In terms of regulation, right now 36 states are setting 36 different standards in terms of hotels, in terms of grading, etc. So, the international community that we want to attract cannot take the grading standard of a hotel in Zamfara and a hotel in Lagos and say this is an internationally acceptable standard. Nations, national agencies set standards and grade hotels that are internationally recognisable not individual states within a federation of state.

    Human capital development – Tourism is driven by a digital medium. Today, most businesses are driven by digital medium. Now, with a large population of digitally-connected individuals; we must embrace technology. If we don’t embrace technology, we cannot hope to, for example, take the message out and potentially reach two million people on Facebook or several millions on Instagram.

    Capital development on appropriate training, not just training like we have been used to, but training in the new mediums and new technologies that help you market with the same prowess as Jumia or Wakanow or Konga.

    Infrastructure development – I’m glad to say that Nigeria has the infrastructure but they need to be developed; especially in the tourism industry, infrastructure is either not in the right hand, not being driven properly or moribund and we need to look at it holistically.

    What do we have and as a business how can we use this better? How can we use the Tafawa Balewa Square (IBS) better? How can we use National Theatre, Abuja Stadium, National Stadium in Lagos; Football stadium in Akwa Ibom – how  can we use all these better? What do we need to put around Abuja stadium to make it work- a hotel? Do we allow all league matches to be played free of charge there? What will happen if we do that? Will the population of the North Central of Nigeria collapse temporarily into Abuja for certain things, thereby countering the population imbalance we have between the Southwest, the North central to the axis of the Northeast?

    Events and marketing – we need to look at what events we have. At NTDC, we have created a January to December calendar of events that allows people to plan. If you look at the football league in England- you know that Manchester United is going to play with Chelsea on June 4 next year at Chelsea’s ground. It is fixed. It allows hotels, transporters to plan, and it is in that planning that you get the acceleration of wealth creation. Again, it is a business. Then we will have one platform anchoring other events.

    Again in marketing, the promotion has to be digital.Today, nobody leaves home without their phones. So, it is the medium we reach maximum number of people. If you look at your Whattsapp messages, the stories we all share among ourselves on a daily or weekly basis – it tells you what people are interested in. It is either about fashion, food, religion, music, film or politics. If you look at your last 20 messages you will see that they fall into the above mentioned categories. That tells you that these are the Medium of expression through which people are consuming whatever information today.

    What are some of your projections in the short and long terms?

    We have mapped out some of the things we are doing at NTDC in the short to medium and long terms. In terms of corporate governance, we are continuously interacting with stakeholders in the tourism industry. Change is here and tourism is not going to be excluded from that agenda. Whether we like it or not, certain things must change for us to move forward. We can grow money or we can earn money. If we treat tourism like a leisure activity we will continue to earn money. If we treat tourism as a business we grow money. If we invest in infrastructure specific to tourism that grows tourism, we will reap multiple benefits from it.

    Whether government is APC or any other; whether I am the DG NTDC or any other person else, it continues to flow. We are also using the digital platforms – social media, the internet, to make the presence of NTDC known. We have ‘Tour Nigeria’, which is the hash tag and is on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, We have our website – tournigeria.org.ng where we are hoping to put a lot of positive images about our country to reverse the negative conversations about Nigeria. There have been lots of challenges simply because people would always want to resist change. Again, some people have not just taken the time to understand the law. One of the things that people are agitating the most about is about the registration and regulation and grading of hotels. In any country in the world where tourism is treated as a business and the values they get from it are real, there’s an external body responsible for it, but because of the Supreme Court’s ruling, states have been granted the power to so do, but those states will never get international recognition for it because they recognise countries, they don’t recognise the components of countries.

    The President’s order on ease of doing business in Nigeria has benefitted us in being able to get visas and access to some other things. It is not perfect yet, but it has started to yield good fruit; it will continue to get better. We are hoping that NTDC will be the steering agency for all tourism-related activities. We must take tourism seriously as a business, if we treat it otherwise, we cannot get the revenues we are hoping to get from it.

    What specific practices or perceptions do you believe may positively impact the tourism industry in the country?

    I do not believe in world tourism market just yet, I believe in a Nigerian domestic-focused tourism market. Let me be clear on this: I don’t see the need to go and market what (products) I know that are not as strong as I want them. I don’t believe in going to London to say, I want to do London travel market to go and market products that are not as strong as I want them to be. I will like to focus inward and strengthen those products here first, then maybe in a year or two you can take them to the London travel market. There are some market functions, they call travel market in Nigeria today – the individuals that pushed us to be promoting Nigeria’s cultural heritage are being sponsored by foreign airlines, foreign hotels and all that they are promoting is sale of foreign holidays to Nigerian citizens. I don’t stand behind such misconception. People are misled to believe that this is promoting the Nigerian culture when foreign airlines, foreign hotels come into a Nigerian hotel to put together a programme to show Nigerians the beauty of South Africa or Dubai or Rwanda; it is not promoting Nigeria, it is promoting African culture but not Nigerian culture. My business is not to promote the culture of any other country apart from that of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Looking at the state of tourism industry in the country, do you have some recommendations?

    We recommend that tourism be included in the curriculum of educational institutions. If people don’t start to learn it from an early age that this thing exists and that if you treat it like a business you can earn money, they may not show interest in it. If you look at how many people that take Chemical Engineering; Mechanical Engineering, Architecture and look at what they feed into, we have got to look at other side of our inflow of human capital which is developing tourism as a curriculum from schools to university. We are not just saying go and start it now, but let’s look at how we can inject it into the existing curriculum in schools. Most of the people you find in the tourism industry did not really study tourism; they studied something else; but tourism became what they can do or something they just like to do. It is good to get core professionals within the industry.

    The issue of security is of a serious concern if tourism must thrive in any country. With the rate of kidnapping, and other social crimes in society, don’t you think such may negatively impact the business aspect of tourism?

    I disagree with you. Let me tell you why. Is Nigeria the murder capital of the world? No. Is Nigeria the rape or kidnapping capital of the world? No. I don’t want to name those countries. Every country has security issue. America, Britain, France all have security issue. Look at the attacks that have happened in Britain this year, still people still go there. I am not saying that we don’t have some of these issues, but they are not issues that should stop people from coming here. You and I live here. The security situation has improved tremendously over a year and half now. There are still some new things that are popping up; did we know that terrorists could turn an aircraft into a weapon against people? Did we know that a terrorist could turn a car into a weapon against people? Would people stop going to France, for instance, because a terrorist drove a truck over people on the sidewalk? They kidnap in France; they kidnap in England. But you know what, those countries have very, very sophisticated system of not reporting so much of the negative about them, unless it is something they cannot cover. Do you know how many people that are killed in those countries in a day? I understand the security concern, but they are not things that will stop people from coming to Nigeria. Look, some of these crimes are reactions to poverty; if we grow our domestic industry, some of these things would stop. If a man can wake up every morning to a place he can earn a decent day’s work and get a decent wage for it, robbery is not the first option for our people. Security concerns should not stop the development of our tourism.

    How much does tourism generate for the country at the moment?

    If over the next three years tourism moves from about 1.4 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) to close to 10 per cent, I think we would have got ourselves on a remarkable track. But certain things need to be done. There is a need to invest in our tourism assets. There’s need for a change in our policy; there’s the need to support the tourism function to rearrange things in the way it can generate income. Also, we need to capture data; we need to open the tourism satellite account that allows us to count- how many foreigners are coming into the country; where are they staying, what are doing, how much are we making from them? If you don’t count that, it will be very difficult for us to know what exactly our revenue is.

    How would you ensure that the programmes you are putting in place now would continue after your exit from the seat, given that one of the major problems of Nigeria is lack of sustainability?

    You see, this is the year of sustainable tourism globally. It is the type of tourism you grow internally, domestically. Now, what are the hallmarks? Support your own domestic tourism industry; pay a fair price for your domestic products; engage with your domestic stakeholders, create advantages for your domestic stakeholders against foreign attractions. Let me give you an instance. You know what Ghana did? Ghana gives a tax holiday at the weekend for tourism activities. So, the cheapest place now for you to have a conference is Ghana. You know what that means?

    Nigeria was recently recognised on the global tourism scene; may we have your comment on that beautiful development? `

    I am so happy that my boss, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, minister of Information and Culture, has been appointed the Vice President of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation. It is a reflection of the commitment and tenacity of the man. To have attained this laudable position in tourism, I believe this supports the functions of NTDC immensely. And I believe that with his support, tourism as a business is here to stay.

  • 36 Dutch visitors robbed in South Africa

    36 Dutch visitors robbed in South Africa

    South Africa ’s Tourism Minister Tokozile Xasa, has on Wednesday expressed concern that an incident in which Dutch tourists were robbed could damage the country’s Tourism Industry.

    Thirty-six Dutch tourists who arrived in the country on Sunday were robbed in their tour bus after leaving Johannesburg’s main airport, the Police Ministry said in a statement.

    The bus was stopped by a vehicle with police markings, the statement said, adding that one man was also dressed in police uniform.

    A group of armed men boarded the bus, tied up the tour guide and driver, and robbed the tourists of their belongings, local media reported.

    “That kind of a barbaric incident sends a very bad reputation about our country,’’ Xasa said on a World Tourism Day.

    “We want to market South Africa as a safe destination,’’ she said.

    The tourists cancelled the rest of their trip and have now returned home, according to Dutch media.

    The Netherlands’ ambassador to South Africa, Marisa Gerards, tweeted about the incident on Tuesday, calling it “a shocking, tragic & impactful robbery Very traumatic for these NL tourists.’’

    South Africa is notorious for its high crime rates.

    Britain updated its travel advice for the country, warning its nationals to “be vigilant in and around the airport and when driving away.’’

  • Tourism means business

    Tourism means business

    This year’s World Tourism Day, September 27, is another time to think about Nigeria’s approach to tourism and to rethink. The celebration will focus on “Sustainable Tourism – a Tool for Development.”

    World Tourism Day has been celebrated since 1980, and previous editions have featured topics including Peace and Dialogue, Energy, Accessibility, World Heritage, and Water and Tourism. To mark the occasion, the Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN), Taleb Rifai, said: “Last year alone, 1.235 million travellers crossed international borders in one single year. By 2030, this 1.2 billion will become 1.8 billion. The question, as we celebrate World Tourism Day 2017, is how we can enable this powerful global transformative force, these 1.8 billion opportunities, to contribute to make this world a better place and to advance sustainable development in all its three pillars. This World Tourism Day, whenever you travel, wherever you travel, remember to respect nature, respect culture and respect your host.”

    It is interesting that the theme of the celebration this year underlines the role of tourism in development. If tourism has a development role, then development should have a tourism role. This linkage is not easily grasped by Nigeria’s tourism authorities.

    Perhaps the new Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mr. Folorunso Coker, will help to drive a necessary rethinking of tourism. In July, he launched a roadmap designed to develop the tourism industry and contribute to the country’s development. It is called “Destination Nigeria: Tourism Development Roadmap (2017-2021).”

    Coker gave a useful insight into his thinking on tourism, saying: “Tourism is a business of moving people from point A to B and back to A or further up to point C. It is transportation by air, by road, by water. Transportation entails servicing of vehicles, buying of new tyres and all sorts of maintenance issues of consumption, and that is business. It is when the traveller gets to the destination, is it for business, or pleasure? That is business. The hotel where he stays, the food he eats and other things there are business. We want to change the perception that people have always had about tourism that it is just Arts and Culture.”

    He supplied statistics to support his business-oriented approach: “Tourism is responsible for 10 percent of the global GDP; it is about 8 trillion dollars in value; it is responsible for one in eleven jobs, which is more than the oil industry; it is the largest employer of labour in the world, about 292 million people. And strategically, it employs predominantly women and the youth. It is responsible for about 1.4 trillion in foreign exchange; it is responsible for 10 percent of world trade, and responsible for 30 percent of service export.”

    He added: “Now you can see how important the industry is. And for it to make this huge contribution to any economy, it has to be treated as a serious business. It has to be invested in for you to reap the huge values out of it. So tourism must be treated as business not as leisure or pastime activity that it has always been classified as.”

    It may well be that tourism needs a business model. In line with Coker’s business approach, the Minister of State for Environment, Alhaji Ibrahim Jibrin, announced that the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) had approved the partial commercialisation of three national parks as a pilot scheme.  Jibrin said: “Nigerian national parks are faced with numerous challenges which militate against their accelerated development. Prominent among these are: insecurity, inadequate funds for developmental projects, trans-boundary conservation activities and sustainable livelihood options, deterioration of infrastructure, lack of capacity, dearth of manpower and equipment and, above all, absence of strategic partnerships.”

    Jibrin continued: “It is in a bid to reverse the trend and raise the standards of national parks to global best practices that the Federal Government recently unbundled national parks to encourage private participation in their development and management. Already, the National Council on Privatisation (NCP) has approved the partial commercialisation of the service. The council has also approved the immediate commercialisation of the eco-tourism components of three national parks, namely, Gashaka Gumti, Cross River and Kainji Lake national parks as a pilot scheme. In this regard, the management of the National Park Service is working with relevant government agencies to ensure a securer and investment friendly environment in and around the national parks. I therefore urge potential investors to take advantage of this window and invest in national parks.”

    Nigeria can a lesson or two from the official celebrations of World Tourism Day 2017, which will be held in Qatar, as decided by the UNWTO General Assembly. The planned activities demonstrate a serious, business-like approach to tourism: “The event will be structured around two sessions, focused on ‘Tourism as a driver of economic growth,’ and ‘Tourism and the Planet: committed to a greener future.’ In addition, a high-level think tank will be conducted with the aim of opening the debate on the potential of the sector to enhance cultural preservation and mutual understanding. On the Agenda will also be the presentation of the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy, which advances sustainable approaches. The initiative is aligned with the Qatar National Vision 2030, which focuses on Economic, Social and Human Development and prioritizes tourism as a catalyst to progress towards a more diversified economy.”

    When will Nigeria move beyond paying lip service to tourism as a tool for development?  It is reassuring that Coker has an action plan and sounds like an action man who means business. As part of the plan, “the corporation will champion the upgrade of beaches and waterfronts in Cross River, Bayelsa and Lagos states to world- class standard, launch the National Tourism Fund as a joint initiative of the private and public sectors, including international donors and agencies, review of the NTDC Act No 81 of 1992 and all tourism laws, licensing rates and fees.”

    Hopefully, the NTDC under Coker will fulfill the early promise and chart a course for development-oriented tourism based on a business model that works.

      

    • This columnist is going on vacation.
  • NTDC to promote tourism assets

    NTDC to promote tourism assets

    Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Director General Mr. Folorunsho Coker has promised to create a brand to promote the tourism assets in Borgu community in Niger State.

    He said new forms of tourism now exist in addition to the traditional ones, hence the need to use technology to drive the promotion and marketing of the Nigerian tourism assets.

    Coker spoke when he received the Emir of Borgu Kingdom, Muhammed Sani Dantoro (Kitoro IV), in his office  at the Corporation’s headquarters in Abuja.

    He expressed the readiness to work with the people in charge of the tourism assets of Borgu to explore the potential, which according to him, will hugely benefit the community, Niger State and Nigeria.

    The NTDC boss, who underscored the importance of Public-Private-Partnership in the bid to promote the Nigerian tourism assets, said: “joint venture is the way forward to sponsoring tourism promotion and development in Nigeria.”

    “We will work towards making Borgu International Dubar live up to its name, while also working on a digital campaign to market the tourism assets of Borgu to tourists, the community and the international community,” Coker noted.

    The Emir of Borgu, HRM Dantoro, earlier in his speech described the appointment of the NTDC boss as apt, saying it came at when the Nigerian government is diversifying the economy of the nation.

    “We know Coker will make the Corporation and the nation proud by improving the lots of the nation’s tourism industry, hence we are here to liaise with the NTDC to explore the tourism potentials in Borgu to the benefit of the community, state and the nation at large.

    “It is of note that Borgu’s landscape is dotted with enviable tourism potentials: It has the first National Park established by the federal government; the only West African English Speaking College of Wide Life School and the landmass is a combination of culture and agriculture. All these are readily available for exploration,” Dantoro said.

    The Emir of Borgu disclosed that the willingness of the Niger State Governor to develop tourism in the state, while he promised to establish a resort to be called Shagunu.

  • Labour to support tourism

    THE Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) and the workers have pledged to work for the growth of the corporation.

    They spoke during a visit to the corporation’s Director-General, Mr. Folorunsho Coker. AUPCTRE was led by its Chairman, Comrade Benjamin Anthony.

    Coker reiterated his commitment to technologically drive the tourism sector to become a revenue spinner for the nation. He described tourism as a business, adding that his administration would ensure training and re-training of workers because “training is a critical part of human development.”

    Coker, who unveiled a five-point action plan, CHIEF, aimed at promoting domestic tourism and encouraging ease of doing business in Nigeria, said CHIEF seeks to introduce global best practices in the tourism industry, encourage human capital and infrastructural development.

    This, he said, is to promote and protect Nigeria’s cultural heritage, while also pursuing funding for capital projects in the sector.

    CHIEF stands for: ‘C’ for Corporate governance, and regulations, ‘H’ for Human Capital Development, ‘I’ for Infrastructural development, ‘E’ for Events and Marketing and ‘F’ for Finance and Investment. He said the brand was an ambitious attempt at promoting tourism in Nigeria.

    Anthony expressed the readiness of the union to support the corporation to change the face of tourism in Nigeria.”Trade union works with everyone the government brings, believing that everybody has potentials. We believe that your coming to NTDC will add value to the Corporation, the Nigerian tourism industry and the nation at large,” Anthony added.

    AUPCTRE, NTDC Chapter Chairman, Comrade Ohiemi Martins Ahefu, enjoined  the corporation’s workers to support the DG in his effort at repositioning both the corporation and tourism.

  • Religious tourism: Give ‘Ikotun-Lagos a facelift’

    Religious tourism: Give ‘Ikotun-Lagos a facelift’

    SOME residents of the Isolo-Ejigbo-Ikotun area of Lagos have called on the Lagos State government to pay greater attention to the area as, according to them, “this is the tourism corridor of the state.”

    They said they were disappointed when all the beautification projects to  improve the aesthetic nature of Lagos were done outside the area.

    One of the residents of Isolo, Mr. Keyinde Olajide, said: “I was among those that were elated when the Ambode government in Lagos, as part of the activities to mark Lagos@ 50, embarked on the massive facelift of the state. Iconic statues were erected and key locations like under the flyover bridge of the National Stadium, Surulere, Falomo in Ikoyi and other parts of Lagos were given facelift.

    “All these have added to the appeal of Lagos and I am sure they give positive vibe about the state to tourists and visitors.  But why our area was not included? Most tourists and visitors on religious pilgrimage to the Synagogue Church of All Nations of Pastor T.B. Joshua pass through Isolo. So, any project sited in this axis would have positive impact on the image of the state, but none was sited here. It is really unfortunate.”

    Another resident of Ikotun, Mr. Sunday Obot, said: “In terms of inbound tourist traffic to Lagos, no area in the state attracts more tourists like the Isolo-Ejigbo-Egbe-Ikotun area of Lagos. From available statistics, close to 40 per cent of tourist arrivals to Nigeria, not just Lagos, come to this area, to Pastor T.B. Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations.  Yet there is no effort by the government to include this part in this urban renewal and face-lift of the megacity. The road to Ikotun from the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway ought to be expanded to reflect the image the state wants  foreign visitors and religious tourists to have.”

    “One would have thought that this area ought to have been the first area of concentration if tourism is being talked about because that is the tourism corridor of Lagos. The other areas are simply potentials that are not yet attracting the needed tourism numbers to be called a destination.  So, why the neglect of this goose that lay the golden egg?”

    They call on the government to focus greater more attention on the aixs as it is the window through which many tourist visitor have a glimpse of Lagos since the stay in the church premises while in Nigeria. The image they see to and from the airport is what they carry back to their