Blessed with
enormous natural resources, tourists' attractions, national reserves and
monuments, Nigeria still lies short of tourists among ranked nations worldwide.
Taiwo Akintunde writes.
Arguably,
Tourism is one of Nigeria's undermined sectors which can generate a Large
amount of revenue for governance, which can be channeled to developing other
sectors.
The riches
and diversity of Nigeria's culture has always been considered a strong reason
why tourism is bankable and should be a primary foreign exchange earner for the
country.
The Nigerian
Tourism Development Corporation, which started out as Nigerian Tourist
Association in 1962, before it was changed to NTDC in 1992 as a Federal
Government corporation under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and National
Orientation, is responsible for the planning, supervision, development and
marketing of tourism in Nigeria.
According to
NTDC, “Tourism is a central pillar of economic growth and diversification in
any country and the major functions of NTDC among other things include: to
encourage people living in Nigeria to take their holiday, therein and people
from abroad to visit Nigeria and also to encourage the provision and
improvement of tourism amenities and facilities in Nigeria.”
The National
Travel Bureau (NTB), established by decree 81 of 1992, is a tour operating
company responsible for tour services and operations within and outside
Nigeria.
The Bureau
acts as the commercial arm of NTDC, conducting guided tours/excursions, bus
rental services, travel consultancy and tour guide services.
Reports
said, as at 2016, direct contribution of travel and tourism to Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) was N1.86 trillion (1.7 per cent of GDP), but forecast to rise by
1.1 per cent to N1.88 trillion in 2017.
But the
figures presented in the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) 2017 report
are proof that not so much contribution from the sector has reflected on the
economy.
Reports also
said that no significant direct contribution from Travel and tourism to the
country's GDP has been recorded in 10 months, leaving the sector's contribution
to the whole economy's GDP at 1.7 per cent, same as it was in 2016.
A review of
tourism's impact on the country's GDP in the last 10 years (2007 – 2017) showed
that its impact was at all-time high in 2008, having contributed 2.4 per cent
to the GDP. Since 2008, its impact has been fluctuating between 1.8 per cent
and 1.5 per cent.
The sector,
expected to be one of the growing and high earning sectors in the country, was
accorded priority status in 1990, when the National Tourism Policy was
launched.
The main
thrust of Government policy on tourism was to; “generate foreign exchange
earnings, create employment opportunities, promote rural enterprises and
national integration, among other things.”
Lessons for
Nigeria on the African scene;
Tanzania
boost tourism Industry with 4.8 Trillion TZS
The
Tanzanian tourism sector has received a boost of 4.8trillion Tanzanian
Shillings (TZS) extra budgetary allocations for tourist sector promotion
initiatives and consolidation of diplomatic relations in the country.
According to
the latest Bank of Tanzania (BoT)'s Monthly Economic Review, factors that have
contributed to the increased flow of tourists to Tanzania, leading to the rise
of foreign exchange earnings to US Dollars 2,156.9million (approximately
4.8tri/-) in the year ending November, 2017. In the corresponding year,
November 2016, foreign exchange earnings were USD 2101.2m (approximately
4.7trillion).
The report
also read that foreign exchange earnings from travel, mainly comprising
receipts from tourism, have increased by more than approximately 128.8bn TZS.
"Foreign
exchange earnings from travel, which mainly comprises receipts from tourism,
rose to USD 2,156.9 million in the year ending November 2017, from USD 2,101.2
million in the year to November 2016, owing to increase in the number of tourist
arrivals.
The Tanzania
Tourism Board (TTB) Managing Director, Ms Devota Mdachi, said an extra
budgetary allocation from the government, whose figure she didn't disclose,
enabled the board to mount a vigorous media advertising drive for the country's
tourism attractions, whose outcome was a bigger flow of visitors to the
country.
Hope for
Nigeria: The African Hotel Report 2017, has disclosed that Nigerian hotels are
the most valuable hotels on the African mainland.
According to
the report which was released at the Africa Hotel Investment Forum in Kigali,
Rwanda, 2018, despite the economic problems experienced by the market in recent
years that have seen values fall by 16.4 percent in two years, average values
are the third highest in all of Africa, behind only the Seychelles and
Mauritius.
The report's
Author, David Harper of Hotels Partners Africa, said that Nigeria is the most
significant hotel market in West Africa, with almost 6,100 branded bedrooms
across 41 hotels, with 21 brands (and 14 hotel companies) represented in 9
cities.
Way Forward:
Government at all levels should consider increasing budgetary allocations to
grow patronage and fund activities that will enhance the tourism sector.
Massive
publicity on social and traditional media: The government can also develop the
sector by partnering local media organisations to boost sector. Build
International partnerships/collaborations: The government should also create
investment modules that will attract financial and resource partnerships with
international bodies/agencies to enhance patronage across the world. Laws
should be legislated to mandate steady growth and development in the sector.
NTDC Road
Map: In seeking to achieve a sustainable national tourism agenda, the NTDC has
designed a roadmap that lays the foundation that will open up Nigeria as a
major tourism destination in Africa through the development of international
tourism and promoting of domestic tourism. The roadmap is a 5 point action plan
which includes; Corporate Governance and Regulations, Human Capital
Development, Infrastructural Development, Events & Marketing, Finance and
Investment.
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