NANFeatures/Vol.11/No.113/2017 (July 27)
Diversifying tourist destinations for revenue generation
By Collins Yakubu-Hammer, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Nigeria has many tourist sites that analysts note could boost inbound and domestic tourism to generate revenue for the government and jobs for the teeming population of the country.
Some of these sites are Gashaki-Gumpti National Park and Mambila Plateau in Taraba, Zuma Rock and Gurara Waterfalls in Niger, Obudu Cattle Ranch, Tinapa Resort and Agbokim Waterfalls in Cross River.
Others include Ogbunike Cave and Rojenny Tourist Village in Anambra, Yankari Game Reserve and Wikki Warm Springs in Bauchi, Silicon Hills and Ezeagu Tourist Complex in Enugu and Magnetic Rock, Jabi Lake and Aso Rock in Abuja.
Lekki Conservation Centre, National Theatre and National Museum in Lagos, Idanre Hills in Ondo State, Osun Sacred Grove, Mount Patti, Lord Lugard House and the Confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers in Lokoja, among others, are also parts of the beauty of Nigerian tourism sector.
To effectively utilise these sites, President Muhammadu Buhari at the opening ceremony of the 2016 National Tourism Summit, said the Federal Government would provide the enabling environment to develop tourism to generate jobs and boost revenue generation.
In support of this, Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed at the gala night of the summit maintained that the ministry would also make culture and tourism the bedrock of the Nigeria’s economy.
The outcome of the summit facilitated the resuscitation of the Presidential Council on Tourism (PCT) which the private sector was allotted two seats.
The PCT is made the highest policy, decision-making and implementation body on tourism development in the presidency.
With the importance attached to tourism and these initiatives, concerned citizens and stakeholders have been asking how such government’s laudable intention can come to reality.
But Mohammed noted that because of the multifaceted nature of tourism, its development could not be on the shoulders of a ministry, but through shared responsibilities among organs of government and the private sector.
Similarly, Chief Tomi Akingbogun, the immediate past president of Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria explained that the private sector was cardinal to the success of the sector.
Akingbogun, however, said government should create enabling environment for private sector to invest in the country’s tourism sector.
According to him, if government could provide tourism development funds for genuine private sector investors to access at a single digit interest rate, it would stimulate rapid growth in tourism sector.
“Tourism has the potential to feed Nigerians even without oil; look at the Gambia, Tanzania, Kenya and other countries, they survive by revenue from their tourism sector.
“Nigeria can do better; government should do the needful and the sector will flourish,’’ Akingbogun said.
Supporting Akingbogun’s argument, Dr Chike Ezeudeh, the president of Hotel Owners Forum, Abuja, urged the Federal Government to provide funds for the development of tourism and hospitality.
“If the Federal Government provides a reliable fund dedicated to investors in the hospitality and tourism industry to access and improve the sector, it will go a long to help.
“The fund can assist investors to develop some tourist sites and encourage inbound and local tourists to patronise these sites across the country.
“Presently, you cannot get loan from the banks; also even if you build a hotel, it needs constant renovation,’’ Ezeudeh said.
He explained that intervention fund was a necessity to develop tourist sites and to renovate hotels and put them in perfect condition to better serve guests and tourists
Ezeudeh noted that with good hotels and tourism sites within the country, Nigerians would be encouraged to spend their holidays in the country instead of going to tourist sites in other countries.
He, nonetheless, observed that multiple taxations on the operations of tourism and hospitality investors had, over the years, discouraged some private investors from investing in the sector.
“It is not easy when you have a business and you are confronted with more than 25 different taxes to pay with some of the taxes as much as N500, 000 yearly.
“Most hotels cannot pay these taxes, and if they try to pay such, they will be out of business; no hotel business can survive after paying all these bills.
“Such development is not good for the image of the hospitality industry in particular and the country; revenue generation should be done with human face,’’ he pleaded.
This challenge notwithstanding, Mr Ben Akabueze, the Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, believes that tourism has the capacity to enhance economic growth.
According to him, tourism sector is capable of driving short-term growth and longer-term structural change in the country.
He noted that the sector was recognised in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of the Federal Government as one of the ingredients needed to achieve economic growth.
“The sector offers the opportunity for job creation, especially among youths in Nigeria and the government recognises that the rich bio-diversity in Nigeria’s ecosystem, our cultural diversity, historical cities and arts and craft, have yet to be fully exploited,’’
“By addressing under-developed infrastructure, security challenges, lack of attractive options for vacationing at home and insufficient investment, the sector is expected to contribute to government revenues and foreign exchange earnings,’’ Akabueze said.
In his view, Mr Bernard Bankole, the President National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies, said effective awareness creation on tourist sites in Nigeria by government and stakeholders would facilitate patronage.
According to him, for tourism and hospitality industry to thrive and benefit the Nigerian economy, the private sector has to drive the awareness creation supported by the government.
He noted that the government would require the support of the private sector in tourism development.
“The government has different platforms for awareness creation such as radio and television, among others; it should give us the opportunity to ride on these platforms to effectively sensitise Nigerians to the importance of local tourism.
“The government does not have business in managing activities that can be handled by the private sector; government business is formulating and regulating policies,’’ he said.
He explained further that government could equally involve in a public private partnership arrangement regarding tourism sites across the country.
“The government should allow the private sector to drive some of the initiatives by allowing us to create awareness; the same awareness they created about oil made oil what it is today.
“If we do not create awareness about tourism, it cannot grow to a remarkable level of development that would bring in more revenue for the practitioners, the government and create jobs as expected.
“In the oil sector, we have private oil companies and the government should help the tourism and hospitality sector to grow in that manner as well,’’ Bankole said.
Observers, therefore, believe that diversification of tourist destinations to generate revenue and create jobs will require the ability of the government to create an enabling environment and allow the private sector to drive the process.(NANFeatures)
**If used, please credit the writer as well as News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)