What do the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and Egypt
have in common? Tourism contributes more that $11 billion to their gross
domestic product. Like Nigeria, all three aforementioned territories have/had
decent reserves of oil, but they’ve managed to rebrand themselves as viable
tourist destinations.
have in common? Tourism contributes more that $11 billion to their gross
domestic product. Like Nigeria, all three aforementioned territories have/had
decent reserves of oil, but they’ve managed to rebrand themselves as viable
tourist destinations.
The promise of oil wealth has blinded many of us to the
benefits that other sectors can have in our economy, in particular the promise
of tourism.
benefits that other sectors can have in our economy, in particular the promise
of tourism.
Every time we hear about natural resources in Nigeria, the
conversation always centers on the fossil fuel kind. Rarely do we step back and
appreciate the natural wonders of our local landscape, variety in wildlife, and
overall scenic beauty. We are sitting on
a proverbial goldmine; Our seven national parks (Chad Basin, Cross River,
Gashaka Gumti, Kainji Lake, Kamuku, Okomu, Old Oyo ) and numerous state parks
are currently underused and underfunded . Despite this, they still offer some
of the variety and adventure that one finds in the safari’s of eastern and
western Africa, yet no one goes. A large problem is that of awareness or rather
a lack thereof, the other is simply a lack infrastructure. Of all of our
national parks, only 1 boasts of accommodation decent enough to attract
tourists. This is something that
urgently needs to be addressed if we are to move away from our over reliance on
oil wealth.
conversation always centers on the fossil fuel kind. Rarely do we step back and
appreciate the natural wonders of our local landscape, variety in wildlife, and
overall scenic beauty. We are sitting on
a proverbial goldmine; Our seven national parks (Chad Basin, Cross River,
Gashaka Gumti, Kainji Lake, Kamuku, Okomu, Old Oyo ) and numerous state parks
are currently underused and underfunded . Despite this, they still offer some
of the variety and adventure that one finds in the safari’s of eastern and
western Africa, yet no one goes. A large problem is that of awareness or rather
a lack thereof, the other is simply a lack infrastructure. Of all of our
national parks, only 1 boasts of accommodation decent enough to attract
tourists. This is something that
urgently needs to be addressed if we are to move away from our over reliance on
oil wealth.
As a domestic hotel brand we believe more needs to be done,
as such we are attempting to develop a
luxury resort about an hour and a half away from Abuja at Gurara Waterfalls.
as such we are attempting to develop a
luxury resort about an hour and a half away from Abuja at Gurara Waterfalls.
For tourism to derive the same sort of patronage as mentioned
earlier in this article we as Nigerian hotel developers need to do more to
develop world class facilities as that in Gurara in order to bring visitors. As
the old adage goes‘If you build it, they shall come’ if you build it, pray like hell people come.
earlier in this article we as Nigerian hotel developers need to do more to
develop world class facilities as that in Gurara in order to bring visitors. As
the old adage goes
