Nigerian domestic tourism promoters have called on the government for support in developing and promoting domestic tourism in the country in a bid to grow the sector.
Speaking on a panel discussion at the 10th edition of the Wonders of Nigeria Expo at the National Museum Onikan in Lagos, the tours operators and tour guides, lamented the lack of sponsorship on the part of the government adding that tour practitioners have been left to spotlight the country’s rich cultural heritage over the years without any input from the Federal Government.
Managing Director, Goge Africa, Nneka Isaac-Moses, urged the Federal Government to invest in training and capacity building for practitioners in the industry.
She said the government must also work on the provision of accommodation facilities at identified tourism sites within the country for tourists’ comfort.
She appealed to the government at all levels to support with funding and create an enabling environment for tourism businesses to thrive.
Also, Mrs Ime Udo, National President of Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), spoke on the contributions of Nigerian tour operators toward grooming the industry.
According to Udo, these tour operators over the years have been able to unravel new tourism sites and promote and drive traffic to such sites.
She, however, called on the federal government to work directly with tour operators and ensure the provision of grants for them, to be able to do more.
She said the needed infrastructures should also be provided at all tourism and heritage sites to make marketing of such sites easier.
On his part, Founder of Nigeria Tourism Lovers, Ibrahim Makanjuola, said accessing some of the nation’s tourism sites was problematic due to poor road network.
Makanjuola advised the federal government to work on putting in place good roads.
“Security personnel should also be sensitised on the business of tourism.
“Government needs to help us, we are often harassed by security operatives while on tour, they see us as youths gallivanting around, and as fraudsters, these security personnel must be taught the business of tourism.”
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Travel with Bethia, Queen Bethia Idoko said Nigeria can generate substantial amount of revenue from tourism if only 5 percent of the over 200 million people can travel within the country.
According to her, “We are over 200 million people, so we are our own market first before any country. If only about 5 percent of Nigerians travel every year within Nigeria, the amount of money we will realise in the country will be unbelievable. A typical example of this is the US, 80 percent of the US populace do not posse’s international passport and this is because they all travel within their won country. And this is a lot of money being generated by the country from their own people. And I think we are sleeping on it. I don’t know why Obudu is not a world heritage site, because it is such an amazing place. As amazing as Obudu is, there is light at the place.”
