Virtual Tourism Experience Centre births in Lagos at Nigeria Travel Week 2019

Whale-watching a source of IGR for Nigeria

Emmanuel Ukudolo l Thursday, November 07, 2019

LAGOS, Nigeria – All is now set for the launch of the first Virtual Tourism Experience Centre in Lagos. The centre, the first in Nigeria and Africa will come alive during Nigeria Travel Week 2019 slated for November 17 – 23, 2019.

Speaking on the Virtual Tourism Experience Centre, Chief Executive Officer Skyeview Communications, Mr. Femi Lawson said the centre is meant to create awareness about the various tourist sites in Nigeria and raise the expectations of the tourists visiting the centre in anticipation for the actual visit.

The Virtual Tourism initiative was launched in 2018. Described as tourism simulated on screen, the viewer is instantly transported through the lenses to the various tourist sites in Nigeria and in the process creating enthusiasm for the visit.

Also speaking on the Nigeria Travel Week, Chief Executive Officer, Avantgarde Tours, Mr. Efetobo Awana described the travel week as a multi-day tourism event platform which drives the sector by bringing together buyers, consumers, travel techs, tours and travel services providers and the media to network, review and discuss the development of travel business in Nigeria and Africa.

The objectives he said include to promote increased networking and partnerships between the different stakeholders in the travel industry, create awareness about opportunities and potentials in domestic and inbound travels in Nigeria as well as intra-Africa travel and nurture a culture of travelling, holidaying locally and outside the shores of Nigeria.

He described Nigeria as the worst in terms of promoting tours and travel in Africa. According to him, Rwanda makes over USD400 million annually from Gorilla tracking, (USD1,500 per one Gorilla tracking permit), adding that Nigeria on the other hand loses billions of Naira due to failure to harness tourism potentials as a result of overdependence on oil.

He said millions of US Dollars are waiting for grabs from Whale Watching since the existence of Whales on Lagos beaches has for a long time been established instead of hunting them for meal, a development he said portrays Nigeria in bad light. Besides money to be made from tourism, he said the industry creates job which could take millions of youths out of crime.

In her remarks, a Senior Advisor with Red Clay, Dr. Adun Okupe said the theme of the week, “Harnessing the creative tourism potentials of culture rich destinations is quite apt, adding that creative tourism is an opportunity for Nigerian travel entrepreneurs.

According to her, examples of creative tourism are dance lesson, cooking activities, painting, photography, local craft-making workshops, adire workshops, batick workshops, shea butter making, palm wine tasting, aso-oke weaving, fishermen photography among others.

She said creative tourism provides opportunities for micro-entrepreneurs to enhance their product offerings by moving beyond cultural tourism where tourists merely visit site and museums engaging with local residents and artisans in understanding and learning cultural practices and craft.

“In this way creative tourism can also contribute to rural development, empowering artists, farmers and craftspeople, including a wide range of people across the value chain”, she said. Besides, she explained that by celebrating and teaching cultural practices, creative tourism practices can amplify the preservation of the local culture and indigenous practices as well as the respect for and preservation of the natural and built environment.

She said the Travel Roundtable coming up at the MUSON centre on November 20 during the week has a theme, Creative tourism opportunities in Nigeria, its potential for job and value creation and how it can contribute to tourism receipts for Nigeria.

Other highlights of the Nigeria Travel Week include campaigns to promote the culture of holidaying in Nigeria, and the Nigerian Tourism Award(The Balearica Award) coming up 22nd November at the Federal Palace Hotel at 6Pm and Tourism Hangout at Lacampaign Tropicana on November 23rd at 12 noon. Alot of games are lined up for the hangout at Lacampaign Tropicana.