Nigeria’s festive tourism season—popularly known as Detty December—has become one of the most dynamic travel phenomena on the African calendar. At the Detty December’ Naija7Wonders Zoom Conference 3.0, themed “The Lessons and Impact,” tourism professionals gathered to reflect on how the season is reshaping Nigeria’s hospitality, travel, and entertainment industries.
One of the most compelling contributions came from Iyadunni Gbadebo, Director of Sales and Marketing at Eko Hotels & Suites, whose presentation offered an insider’s perspective on how the festive surge has transformed the business of hospitality.
A Growing Industry with New Energy
Opening her remarks, Dr. Gbadebo reflected on the encouraging momentum building around tourism conversations in Nigeria. Hearing different stakeholders discuss travel, hospitality, and tourism from multiple perspectives, she said, reinforces the belief that the sector could become Nigeria’s “new oil.”
“It lightens my heart when I hear these conversations,” she told participants, noting that the growing interest—especially among students entering the tourism and hospitality field—signals that the industry is gradually gaining recognition and momentum.
But she also acknowledged that the journey has not been easy.
Lessons from Crisis and Reinvention
Dr. Gbadebo spoke candidly about the challenges the hospitality industry faced in recent years, particularly during the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hotels, airlines, and tourism businesses were among the hardest hit sectors.
Before the industry’s recent resurgence, she recalled a time when the lobby of Eko Hotels was almost silent—an image that illustrated the uncertainty businesses faced during the downturn.
“It forced us to think out of the box,” she said.
For Eko Hotels, survival meant reimagining the role of a hotel. Instead of simply selling rooms and restaurants, the team began focusing on curating experiences—transforming the property into a destination in itself.
From Corporate Hospitality to Family Experiences
Traditionally, about 70 percent of the hotel’s clientele had been corporate travelers. But the festive season presented a new opportunity: the family leisure market.
Dr. Gbadebo explained that modern families—often with both parents working demanding jobs—are increasingly willing to invest in memorable experiences for their children. Recognizing this shift, Eko Hotels began designing immersive holiday packages aimed at families.
One early experiment, a weekend Christmas experience combining accommodation, meals, and entertainment activities, proved unexpectedly successful. What started as a modest concept quickly demonstrated the enormous economic potential of festive tourism.
Over time, the concept expanded dramatically. Today, the hotel offers multi-day holiday packages, including five-day, seven-day, and extended festive programs that attract thousands of visitors.
“In the early years, we were hosting just a few hundred people,” she explained. “Last year we welcomed nearly 8,000 participants across our Christmas experiences.”
Creating a December Economy
Beyond the hotel’s walls, the ripple effects of the festive season have been significant. Dr. Gbadebo emphasized that Detty December has become a powerful economic engine supporting multiple sectors.
Concerts, comedy shows, cultural performances, and large-scale entertainment events now fill the December calendar across Lagos. Meanwhile, restaurants, transport providers, event planners, and creative professionals benefit from the increased activity.
For Eko Hotels, the scale of demand has required constant innovation—from themed parks like Hakuna Matata to Broadway-style African musical productions and circus-style performances featuring African talent.
“We’re no longer just selling rooms,” she explained. “We’re selling experiences.”
Intentional Storytelling for African Tourism
A central message of her presentation was the need for intentionality in how Africa presents its tourism offerings to the world.
She noted that many cultural elements often overlooked locally—traditional rituals, folklore, art markets, heritage sites, and even community storytelling—have tremendous tourism value when properly packaged.
Across the world, destinations have successfully turned simple local traditions into major tourism attractions. Africa, she argued, must learn to do the same by telling its own stories with confidence and creativity.
“When Africa becomes intentional about how we tell our story,” she said, “the value people place on our experiences will grow enormously.”
A Tourism Ecosystem That Benefits Everyone
Another key lesson from her experience is that tourism growth benefits an entire ecosystem—not just hotels.
Airlines, airports, transport operators, artists, performers, small businesses, and young creatives all share in the economic impact. During the festive season alone, hundreds of performers and event staff are employed to produce large-scale entertainment experiences.
“It doesn’t take one person or one business to build tourism,” she emphasized. “It takes collaboration across the entire ecosystem.”
Looking Ahead
As the Detty December conversation continues to gain global attention, the insights shared by Dr. Iyadunni Gbadebo offered conference participants a clear message: the opportunity for Nigeria—and Africa—is enormous, but success will depend on strategic thinking, collaboration, and the courage to innovate.
Through her presentation, the Naija7Wonders Zoom Conference 3.0 once again delivered on its mission of sparking meaningful dialogue within the tourism industry.
And as stakeholders continue to analyze the lessons and impact of Detty December, voices like Dr. Gbadebo’s are helping chart a path toward a more intentional and globally competitive African tourism economy.
Samuel Opoku
