ENVIRONMENT FOCUS: Marketing Nigeria for tourism

It would appear that operators of the hospitality industry in Nigeria and their apex body, the Nigerian Tourism Development Cooperation (NTDC) hardly share the global opinion that tourism and the environment are inextricably linked.

This is where the problem begins. Tourism is not just about 5-star hotels, festivals and carnivals. Bear in mind that a multitude of extraneous factors impact travel. What can a tourist do about civil strife and hostage-taking? The tourism industry is high risk, competitive and in constant flux.

Last week, local media reports had it that the Director General of NTDC, Olusegun Runsewe emerged president of the African Tourism Promotion Initiative. The objective of this body, we read, is to promote tourism on the continent and boost the region’s socio-economic development.

Naturally, Mr Runsewe has to be congratulated. But back home, we would like to find out how many tourists come to Nigeria, in comparative terms, with Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco Tanzania, Senegal, Ghana and Gambia in mind. What is the percentage contribution of tourism to Nigeria’s GDP? And what is there to see in Nigeria?

Who leaves his country specifically to come and view rock formations in Jos, or the Gurara Waterfalls, or spend hours searching for fuel to get the rented car to the Argungu Fishing Festival in Kebbi State? And maybe, on arrival, lose sleep from the noise of generators, thanks to a national capacity to generate electricity barely 2,500 megawatts to date?

Relentlessly, the construction of golf courses and hotels in every corner of Nigeria continues - a new fashion trend being the naming of these edifices after place names or football clubs in England - Bolton, Newcastle, Chelsea; not forgetting Bristol Hotel, that is surrounded by area boys in the heart of Lagos Island.

Is it possible for foreigners to visit an NTDC bureau in their country, book a package holiday for the family to Nigeria and, on arrival at Murtala Muhammed Airport, collect the keys to a rented car and then drive off to a destination of their choice?

Internal tourism is far more common in Nigeria; but even that could be enhanced through good roads, regulated traffic, motels, proper road signs, street lights and road maps, less extortionist police and local government task forces or thugs.

Hardship tourism

A real enigma is understanding what a ministry of tourism does in Nigeria, or what a body like the NTDC contributes to environmental management and safety. During the period I served on the board of Nigeria’s National Parks, I remember a minister who was chairing one meeting requesting that we do not consider a memo on the harassment of foreign tourists at the Yankari National Park by security agents.

Posturing and adjusting his starched agbada like a rooster spoiling for a fight, the honourable minister simply failed to comprehend the linkages between hospitality and the growth of tourism.

In the end, he was jovial enough to admit that Nigeria could be a stellar destination for what should be known as “hardship tourism.”