There was a time when many travelers passed through Enugu without ever truly seeing Enugu.
They landed at the airport, boarded vehicles, and headed straight for destinations like Obudu in Cross River State, barely stopping to ask what stories, landscapes, or culture existed within the coal city itself.
For Odama Emmanuel, founder of TourBuddy, that reality became personal.
During his presentation at the Naija7Wonders Zoom Conference 3.0, Emmanuel reflected on how a simple frustration with misleading internet photos and poorly documented tourist destinations pushed him into tourism nearly a decade ago.
“When you searched for places in Enugu online,” he explained, “you would see pictures that didn’t even represent the actual places.”
That gap between reality and representation became the beginning of a mission — one that has slowly helped reshape how people view tourism in Enugu and the South-East.
Today, according to Emmanuel, tourism in the region is no longer hiding in the shadows.
A New Generation Driving Tourism
One of the strongest points from Emmanuel’s presentation was the role young people and social media now play in shaping tourism culture in Nigeria.
For him, the rise of digital creators, travel influencers, and online storytellers has changed everything.
A single video can suddenly turn an overlooked destination into a trending attraction. One viral reel can spark curiosity across thousands of screens. And in a region once overlooked by many travelers, visibility has become power.
According to Emmanuel, the South-East has experienced a tourism awakening over the last few years because young creators are actively documenting experiences, sharing hidden gems, and telling stories that traditional tourism promotion once ignored.
“We are in the social media stage,” he said, emphasizing how digital storytelling amplifies even the smallest tourism effort.
The impact is visible.
People are beginning to realize that Enugu is more than just a transit point. There are waterfalls, caves, hills, cultural spaces, food scenes, festivals, nightlife, and untold stories waiting to be experienced.
But visibility alone, he warned, is not enough.
The Beauty Is There — The Structure Is Not
Behind the growing excitement lies a difficult reality: infrastructure remains one of the biggest obstacles facing tourism development in the South-East.
Many tourist sites still lack accessible roads, organized ticketing systems, trained tour guides, and basic hospitality standards.
According to Emmanuel, visitors often arrive at destinations only to encounter confusion, inconsistent pricing, or even exploitation by unregulated local actors.
“The amount you pay depends on who you meet,” he said bluntly.
For tourists, that unpredictability damages trust. For communities, it limits growth.
He also pointed to poor sanitation and the absence of structured management at many tourism locations. Some sites, despite their natural beauty, remain littered with waste and neglected facilities.
Yet Emmanuel believes these challenges are fixable; if tourism is treated as a serious economic sector rather than a casual side activity.
Why Storytelling Matters More Than Ever
Perhaps the most powerful insight from Emmanuel’s session was his belief that tourism is no longer just about sightseeing.
Modern travelers, he explained, are searching for meaning.
People want stories.
They want to know the history behind a cave, the mystery surrounding a masquerade, the legend behind a hill, or the cultural meaning of a festival dance.
“Storytelling actually works,” he emphasized.
For Emmanuel, this is where many tourism destinations in Nigeria are missing opportunities. Tour guides are often not trained to narrate experiences in ways that emotionally connect with visitors.
And without stories, even beautiful places can feel empty.
It is one reason festivals across the South-East still hold enormous untapped potential.
Festivals, Culture, and the Missed Opportunity
During the conference discussion, Emmanuel spoke passionately about how festivals such as the Ofala Festival and masquerade celebrations across the South-East could evolve into globally recognized tourism products if properly packaged.
He referenced the influence of creators whose videos transformed events like the Ojude Oba Festival and the Argungu Fishing Festival into viral tourism sensations online.
For Emmanuel, Nigeria already possesses the culture, energy, and visual appeal needed to attract global audiences. What is missing is intentional planning, media investment, and professional execution.
He compared this with a large masquerade festival recently held in the Benin Republic, describing how government involvement, media organization, and international creator engagement elevated the event into a world-class experience.
In contrast, he recounted frustrating moments during the Calabar Carnival, where poor road conditions, weak coordination, and badly executed premium packages disappointed visitors despite the festival’s massive popularity.
One experience particularly stayed with him.
After convincing foreign tourists to attend the carnival, he watched them struggle through terrible road conditions from Enugu to Calabar. Then, after paying heavily for a supposedly premium festival package, attendees received little more than seating arrangements and bottled water.
For Emmanuel, moments like that reveal a painful truth: Nigeria’s tourism potential is huge, but poor planning continues to weaken visitor confidence.
The Future Is Still Bright
Despite the challenges, Emmanuel remains optimistic.
His belief is simple: if Nigeria combines culture, storytelling, infrastructure, and proper planning, festivals across the country can become powerful tourism assets capable of attracting both local and international visitors.
And perhaps that future is already beginning.
Across social media, young Nigerians are redefining travel culture one video at a time. Forgotten destinations are gaining visibility. Cultural festivals are finding new audiences. Communities are beginning to understand the economic power hidden within their traditions.
For Emmanuel, the next phase is no longer about convincing people that tourism is possible in Nigeria.
It is about building systems strong enough to support the attention that is already coming.
By Sam Opoku
