Call For Development Of Tourism In Nigeria

Tourism according to experts, is described as one of the catalysts of the society and the pivotal agent of economy boom and the social buoyancy of any nation which maintains and finances the tourism's  circles.

To aboostings potential, more work needs to be done in the tourism industry. The need to invest in infrastructure, service delivery, security and re branding cannot be overemphasised.

 Essentially, there may not be a significant increase in the number of tourists, unless, key issues such as accessibility (both in terms of transportation infrastructure and affordability), hospitality, and security are addressed. Hence, a shift in focus to address these infrastructural problems is needed in order to realise the tourism potentials in Nigerian.

The deplorable state of Nigeria’s tourism sector is confirmed by the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index where the country was recently ranked 129 out of 136 countries. Nigeria’s ranking, compared to other African peers such as Kenya (ranked 80th) and South Africa (53rd), shows that the nation’s tourism sector is highly uncompetitive and underdeveloped.

A review of the sector’s contribution to Gross Domestic Production (GDP) in the past decade has shown that its largest contribution was in 2008. At that time, travel and tourism directly contributed about 2.4% to GDP. Subsequently, the number has been fluctuating between 1.5% and 1.8%. This decrease coincides with the insecurities associated with the violent terrorist group, Boko Haram. The insurgency has been a deterrent to domestic and international tourism as it led to security warnings from countries such as the US and the UK.

  The tourism sector is also constrained by low income and inadequate infrastructure i.e. transport, logistics and accommodation. The number of Nigerians living in poverty stands at 112 million (62% of the population). This poses a strong challenge to domestic tourism as the average Nigerian considers it a luxury to travel within the country.

  Furthermore, inadequate infrastructure and poor development of tourist sites are also constraining the sector. A typical example of this is evident at Owu Falls, located at Owa-Kajola in Kwara State. Despite being one of the highest waterfalls in West Africa, the resort is severely underdeveloped as it lacks an accessible road network. As a result, it hardly attracts visitors or generates revenue.

Similarly, tourist attractions such as Zuma Rock and Gurara Falls in Niger State are largely undeveloped as there is barely any onsite accommodation. Ultimately this negatively influences tourism as tourists are forced to limit their stay.

 Particularly, with a population size of over 182 million, Nigeria has a lot of potentials for domestic tourism. Similarly, with two sites (Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove and Sukur Cultural Landscape) already on UNESCO’s World Heritage list and 12 sites on the list for consideration, the prospect of international tourism is also high. However, actualisation of the potentials hinges on the collective effort of state governments, as well as the Federal Government.

 Nigeria government can invest in high quality tourism publicity campaigns for its attractions e.g. Obudu Cattle Ranch and Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove. Also, through Nollywood, Nigeria’s movie industry (the third most valuable movie industry in the world) the authorities can create more awareness for the nation’s attractions to potential tourists.

    More so, security challenges, e.g. the high crime rate, could be tackled through specific initiatives such as special tourist police officers who patrol areas frequented by tourists and safeguard hotels. Countries such as South Africa have had success boosting tourism through this initiative. To this end, other countries with less crime rate such as Uganda have also begun to implement similar measures to boost confidence and general reassurance. These measures are positively noted in travel advisory websites.

  In conclusion, the tourism sector in Nigeria faces notable challenges, the growth potential is immense. The Federal Government through the ministry  of information, culture and tourism should strive harder to  roll out plans to develop the sector so that the nation's economy will attains its clamouring position among its contemporaries.

Written by: Fisayo  Solomon Olafusi.