By Yemisi Shyllon
Security cannot be discounted, as the least of our problems with tourism in Nigeria as claimed. No. It is a major problem with tourism in Nigeria, among many other problems.
First, let us differentiate between Domestic and International tourism and not lump the two together. Both Nigeria’s domestic and international tourism, are considerably affected by security. As for domestic tourism, it is negatively impacted by our significant tribal divides and lack of confidence/interest in places outside our places of birth/origin, trade, schooling, or work. These are what collectively and individually, generally constitutes the little demand for domestic tourism in Nigerian. Beyond these, we have the pool of religious institutions, in generating domestic tourism.
In this class, Ogun State attracts the largest volume of domestic religious tourists in Nigeria, followed by Kano and some others. As Chairman of Ogun State Tourism Corporation, which initiated and supervised the redevelopment of Olumo Rock into a major tourism hub, under the government of OGD, I know this as of fact, after some 8 years of my selfless service, on pro bono basis to developing tourism in Ogun State. Indeed , Ogun state gains significantly from the benefits of religious domestic tourism, resulting from the annual pilgrimages to the Celestial HQ in Imeko, Yewa, the Holy Ghost festival of the Redeem Church in Mowe, the annual Aladura festival in Ogere, etc, etc.
Beyond these all, domestic tourism is yet to fully wake up in Nigeria. It is not helped by the pockets of road kidnappings and banditries and poor general public transportation system.
In discussing, international tourism, I do not share the opinion of people who claim that security is the least of Nigeria’s tourism problem. I state this, from my vast experience gathered, after having explored the tourist attractions in 75 countries of all the continents of the world. I have done this, in the biggest and most luxurious cruise ships, hovercrafts, luxury intra and international trains over long distances, including up to, some one week long train travels. These experiences include road travels across continents, over many years .
In choosing my tourism destinations, what mattered most to me, like with every tourists generally, is the effectiveness of security agencies of countries to promptly nip security breaches and bring perpetrators of such breaches to book and not whether security breaches do and did occur. In other words, insecurity occurs everywhere on the globe, but what counts most, is how fast and effectively, about which, each country responds, arrests and takes steps to prevent future /frequent occurrences. Thus,
I avoided countries with poor records in that wise.
The other issues that are not helping Nigeria’s international tourism, are:
1) Ease of transactions with the use of credit cards, on-line banking facilities, international transfers, IT infrastructure, etc.
2) Availability of good, convenient, and well structured public transportation, and the predictability of travel times and ease of travelling.
3) Availability of attractive wide range of uncommon travel modes to select from, eg, my experience of traveling on hovercraft from Hong Kong to Macau, my tugboat trips,
7 submarine trips in different places around the world, the experiences of boat transshipments from ships in high seas, etc.
4) Availability natural heritage sites and man made tourism developments, strategically created, with widely publicized annual calenders of events to enable tourists, to plan long ahead, for enjoying ACTIVITIES and EVENTS around such man made and well developed natural heritage sites.
5) Development of man made tourism locations, with surrounding and well promoted cultural exposures of different unique indigenous national cultures in their design and execution.
This is where Nigeria’s tourism potential has a significant problem. A country of people who do not appreciate the beauty and richness of their indigenous cultures, can not attract foreigners to visit on tourism. To enjoy what? The same cultures of their home countries, as tourists? Nigerians can not be expecting an American to visit Lagos as a tourist, with Lagos having the same water front features, ambience, architecture, etc, as that of the tourist’s home base. Lagos has poorly developed water fronts, lagoon, shoreline and water travel system.
I compare Lagos with my experiences in different places like my travel from Key West, USA ( where I enjoyed a tug boat ride), or Long Beach in Los Angeles( at where I took an hour trip by boat to Catalina Island, to then ride a submarine), or the shores of Brisbane in Australia where I rode its beaches before cruising from there through some islands, like Kirikibati, Vanuatu, etc to New Zealand.
No tourist would waste his time and money, to visit places with same cultural ambience/artchitecture/ cultural infrastructure, etc, as his/hers, about which he/she is already satisfied. As of fact, tourists generally look out for recreation, leisure and education, in places different from their homes.
6) Tourists look out for monuments and places with preserved cultural histories. This is where my one -week train ride on “The Palace on Wheels”, gives me nostalgia. The history of the Maharajahs of India of the 15nth century, is there for tourists to unforgetably explore. As against Nigeria, India offers tourists, both the modern and old Hindu culture, as can be enjoyed in Agra, Japur, Banglahore, etc. You will end up dazed.
7) The private sector has a lot to do to promote Nigeria’s tourism. It is Not all about government and governments only. Our successful corporate bodies ( banks, telecommunication services, oil & gas companies, etc) and rich Nigerians, have a lot to do with promoting Nigeria’s tourism through establishing tourism projects, by way of Corporate Social Responsibility, in enriching our tourism. These can be achieved through the rich being provided tax incentives to develop water based tourism, man made tourists sites and activities, etc, etc.
In conclusion, I have been compelled as a patriot, to contribute to this topic, not for the purpose of self promotion, but for us all to deviate from always pointing fingers at only governments others, without some self introspection about what we can also contribute selflessly, in tourism, for the good of our country. I have and I am still doing my bit in this direction, both within and outside Nigeria.
*Prince Yemisi Shyllon, lawyer, boardroom player, businessman, Africa’s number one arts collector and public affairs analyst, writes from Lagos