Anyone can go to six flags maybe Disneyland (yeah on CC ).
Not everyone can go to Tinapa. Tinapa is for only the rich, sadly the rich people prefer to go to six flags in New Orleans even with hurricane Tinapa around.
God bless my America
Semper FI

Yeah yeah. Lets take it to the tribal level.


Had they located the resort in my village by now it would have been a bee hive of activity with people coming from all over the planet. The ROI would have been thrice the GDP of the United States and China.


Seriously though, the problem we have with projects like this in Nigeria is continuity. But I'm sure Tinapa will still achieve what it was meant for. Dubai wasn't built in a day. Patience.

Tinapa like every other project has its ups and downs, it has not lived up to the expectation of its dreamers, its shareholders and the stakeholders. Nigerian politics to me is the greatest drawback to the progress of TINAPA. Monies have been purported to be spent on the dredging of the calabar channel but the channel itself has not seen any dredging, then the issue of duty e.t.c.. Let me not dwell on the failures and try to see if i can talk a little about the way out of this situation. Luckily, the nolywood centre is now being utilised by ebonylife tv (165 on DSTV), the leisure activities such as an internation sporting event such as tennis, basketball e.t.c in the resort can be focused on while the CRS govt. is trying to sort the duty and dredging area out with the FG. The cost of leasing the malls and shops should be reviewed downwards to encourage participation by the locals to create the needed environment then gradually reviewed upwards when bigger merchants and investors start picking interest.
Finally, the ranch resort was built a long time ago before Duke became governor. It became a forgotten place until Duke added life to it. If TINAPA goes that direction hopefully someday someone will see prospects in it and revive it.

Sagamite:

I think there only hope in hell is a mass-market strategy, not an exclusivity strategy.

The cost of getting there is already a deterrent. The value offered for the price charged is inferior to the options available for the 'remote mass market' (Westerners) have at their disposal.

For example, lets say I be Oyinbo man. I go fly 6hrs for £750 to get to Lagos (the airport there would already tell me I made a mistake selecting this country as a tourist and relaxing destination), spend another £80 to fly to Calabar (i.e. after waiting anywhere between 2hrs to a day to get the connecting flight) and then drive 1 hour by cab to Tinapa (which I am sure the cab driver would milk at least £60 from me). Only to get there and pay over £100 a night to stay in a hotel and still have to pay gate cost for the park.

Now, lets even ignore the time, that is the cost for just one person. Now lets say it is a family of 4 considering it is more of a family destination, not "Awon Boys" holiday me and my buddies go on.

Now compare it with my brother that booked a holiday for a family of 4 in Spain at the cost of £900 (I might have over-estimated, it might be lower). That included all flight fare, a holiday mansion for 4 days, free breakfast, all these waterpark amenities and a safe country.

Tinapa needs to lower its prices so they have what is called Staycation. Basically make sure holidaying Nigerians do not vacate, they stay in the country. Aim for Nigerian middle-class that can afford $60 and above a night hotel room rate and see how they will over-utilise the place.

Very well said.

kobikwelu: Just imagine if something like Tinapa was built in a place like Onitsha.. (with its hopeful ports)..In the next 10 years, Onitsha alone would have a GDP bigger than lagos.....hehehehe

SUE ME...

If any of your governors can build a Tinapa in your state. Please give me three month I will give you a million naira. Offer is open for fifteen years

people just stay where they are and start assuming and saying rubbish, when we in calabar are going there to enjoy regularly, some pipz r here saying what they don't know and have never been to.Just so you know, tinapa even has a hotel now too.Know what you say and say what you know, the only problem is that the place isn't over hyped like it used to be before, but if you've been there of recent,then you would delete this thread. *spits on d thread and walks away *

shiftmarket: From what I know about TINAPA, it was meant to be a free trade zone and a commercial hub in the capacity of Dubai, the original idea was for manufacturers' to bring their products there directly in order to drive down the prices to such an extent that merchants from nearby countries can come there and buy things thereby paying custom duties to export them, however the federal government in conjunction with Nigerian Customs was not comfortable with the arrangement feeling it will stop companies from paying import duties. Opponents of that view say this would have been made up for in the export duties that foreigners would have been paying.

You are very correct.Couple with regional tribalistic politics in Ministry of Transport and NPA,in hindering dredging of Calabar port which links Tinapa, for fear of loosing importers of South East extraction to calabar port from Lagos.

Baybe: How can Cross River government site a Cross River project in Lagos? Is that not the height of dumbness? . When the project is completed Fashola will deport Cross Riverians. Smh..

The OP is even dumber than I thought. When did Calabar(Cross River) become a SE state. BIGOT!!

Location is not even the problem, the problem is Liyel. He doesn't even know what to do with the place.

Because Donald Duke built Tinapa on Fraud and Falsehood.

agbameta: Duke made some mistakes and he really should not have invested a dime on a project like Tinapa.

Ultimately, Nigeria as a country failed Tinapa and Tinapa itself remains a sad victim of lack of supporting federal and state infrastructures and lack of buying power and disposable income of the local population and inability of potential deep pocket visitors from Lagos and other parts of Nigeria to bring in cash and patronage.

The state's local population can not adequately support Tinapa and because they don't have the buying power and disposable income to do so, and folks from out of state like Lagos can not just get up and say yes we are going to Tinapa for the weekend because of lack of good road infrastructures to move visitors from Lagos to Tinapa in 2-3 hours like it takes Californians to drive down from Cali to Vegas ....even affordable air travel in Nigeria is reserved for the super rich and elites..

Tinapa remains a good good project, but we are not ready for such projects now. We just don't have the means and infrastructures to support any Tinapa.

Why don't you stick to comparison with areas you are familiar with or you just want to show off that you can draw comparison from the US.
The distance between LA to Las Vegas is 265 miles or 426 km and the distance between lagos and calabar =469mi or 756km. calabar to lagos is almost twice the distance between LA and Las vegas isn't that more than a little?
In your next attempt to show off/make wrong comparison, pls use google as it will save you the embarrassment.

That said TINAPA is a great project and the location is perfect but my 2 cents diagnosis for the woes of TINAPA is that the project was a bit too futuristic for Nigeria as at when it was conceived and built, But Nigerian economy and Nigerians are gradually maturing to match the use of tinapa, As the maturing process progresses ie viz a viz the increase of middle class with disposable incomes for vacations/ site seeing,Improvement of the economy of Cross river and its neighbouring states, the improvement of transportation infrastructures in Nigeria and the security improvement . TINAPA will attend its full potentials. Recently there was news of the centre being used to host events like the NBA conference thats some innovation for the use of the place wouldn't you say?
I perceive more such profitable innovation detected by market forces for the Utilization of TINAPA.

stine b:
You are very correct.Couple with regional tribalistic politics in Ministry of Transport and NPA,in hindering dredging of Calabar port which links Tinapa, for fear of loosing importers of South East extraction to calabar port from Lagos.

You guys never progress because you are liars and never tell yourselves the truth.ALWAYS playing victim .

You over estimate the value of your so called IMPORTS to the NIgerian economy just as you overestimate the volume.

How many of you own ships involved in Container transport.
What is it you import exactly. ?
Nigeria spends Billions importing Fish,Rice,Wheat Sugar tell me which of these you guys are leaders in
For a long time ONE MAN imported most of the Sugar and cement into Nigeria.
In fact till today he imports so much he has HIS OWN dedicated terminal in APAPA and Calabar with NO NOISE
You guys rely on OTHERS to EARN THE FOREX which you use to import YOUR RUBBISH

Fake drugs
Fake spare parts
Okrika clothes
Fake electronics
General fake things

Yet in your own eyes you are Nigeria's BIGGEST IMPORTERS.
You certainly are the BIGGEST MOUTHS

The real importers are manufacturers and industry; SHELL,Mobil,Chevron,Julius Berger,ABB,CocaCola Dangote,Flour Mills,Nigerian Breweries,Guinness,Nestle,Cadbury,IPWA,May and Baker,PZ etc . They Import by the Shipload NOT containers and they make little noise.


If Calabar wants a port they should Dredge it themselves or persuade Investors to do it and top waiting for the FG to do it

If na lagos wetin for happen? All this tribalistic people. Do you think lagos is better than calabar in development? Well I bet its not, cause Lagos was once the seat of the Federal Capital Territory of nigeria that why there's a bit of development there. Check out world rankings you'll see that lagos is the worst place to invest in africa.

Tinapa was never a mistake as some people insinuated earlier on. Saw this thread earlier on this morning but just couldn’t participate simply because I had to go to work. We already talked about tourism in Nigeria some two years ago (June/July 2011) if I am not mistaken. If you check my comments am sure you will find my contributions to comments regarding Nigerian Tourism.

Here is my take again: Donald Duke did very well by building this place. The problem now is for businesses to invest in areas such as transportation! For example, what stops our so called BIG Banks from investing in things such as railway service? They can make it private and build few rail stations (in strategic places o) about six and run a scheduled trip from wherever these stations are located! In my opinion, the only thing our banks know how to do is employ all these desperate young girls and push them out to go and solicit for deposits all in the name of meeting targets!!! By the way, these young children are exposed to all manner of unwanted harassment.

Also, the bulk of Tinapa failure is wholeheartedly on whoever is managing the place! The key problem with Tinapa is it is too expensive and cumbersome for people to get to the destination! Haba, kilode, is not enjoyment you are looking for?? Why do you have to subject yourself to so much stress before you can enjoy your hard earned money!!
Also, Hotel pricing in these entire destination is mind blowing! Kilode, even the $1500 room is not even worth it if you ask me. Even, the Hyatt, Regency or even Durys Inn, Marriotts can never ask you to pay such amount for a night stay. Yes, and this is regardless of maybe all the hotels I mentioned are located in the heart of NY, Niagara fall, downtown los Angeles, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Orlando Florida, or West Central London……..Mayfair area to be precise (where you expect to pay mega o).

So, tell me as a Nigerian (with some money to spend o) will prefer to go to Tinapa?? They will rather travel to destination outside Nigeria of course!! When all you got to do is jump on the next available flight and sleep in a $180 room per night and enjoy all the extras that come with it!!

To all the managers of the Tinapa-Anwers on how to manage the Tinapa is already in Management textbooks. Do yourselves a favor and save your job by picking one of these books up, read and apply the strategies.

All the best o!

Atouke:

Why don't you stick to comparison with areas you are familiar with or you just want to show off that you can draw comparison from the US.
The distance between LA to Las Vegas is 265 miles nor 426 km and the distance between lagos and calabar =469mi or 756km. calabar to lagos is almost twice the distance between LA and Las vegas isn't that more than a little?
In your next attempt to show off/make wrong comparison, pls use google as it will save you the embarrassment.

That said TINAPA is a great project and the location is perfect but my 2 cents diagnosis for the woes of TINAPA is that the project was a bit too futuristic for Nigeria as at when it was conceived and built, But Nigerian economy and Nigerians are gradually maturing to match the use of tinapa, As the maturing process progresses ie viz a viz the increase of middle class with disposable incomes for vacations/ site seeing,Improvement of the economy of Cross river and its neighbouring states, the improvement of transportation infrastructures in Nigeria and the security improvement . TINAPA will attend its full potentials. Recently there was news of the centre being used to host events like the NBA conference thats some innovation for the use of the place wouldn't you say?
I perceive more such profitable innovation detected by market forces for the Utilization of TINAPA.

Ah, I was wondering o.

I know even if the roads in Nigeria were like German motorway and you were flying on it, after 4 hours, you never fit pass Asaba. Talkless of reaching Calabar in 3 hours.

portage: Tinapa was never a mistake as some people insinuated earlier on. Saw this thread earlier on this morning but just couldn’t participate simply because I had to go to work. We already talked about tourism in Nigeria some two years ago (June/July 2011) if I am not mistaken. If you check my comments am sure you will find my contributions to comments regarding Nigerian Tourism.

Here is my take again: Donald Duke did very well by building this place. The problem now is for businesses to invest in areas such as transportation! For example, what stops our so called BIG Banks from investing in things such as railway service? They can make it private and build few rail stations (in strategic places o) about six and run a scheduled trip from wherever these stations are located! In my opinion, the only thing our banks know how to do is employ all these desperate young girls and push them out to go and solicit for deposits all in the name of meeting targets!!! By the way, these young children are exposed to all manner of unwanted harassment.

Also, the bulk of Tinapa failure is wholeheartedly on whoever is managing the place! The key problem with Tinapa is it is too expensive and cumbersome for people to get to the destination! Haba, kilode, is not enjoyment you are looking for?? Why do you have to subject yourself to so much stress before you can enjoy your hard earned money!!
Also, Hotel pricing in these entire destination is mind blowing! Kilode, even the $1500 room is not even worth it if you ask me. Even, the Hyatt, Regency or even Durys Inn, Marriotts can never ask you to pay such amount for a night stay. Yes, and this is regardless of maybe all the hotels I mentioned are located in the heart of NY, Niagara fall, downtown los Angeles, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Orlando Florida, or West Central London……..Mayfair area to be precise (where you expect to pay mega o).

So, tell me as a Nigerian (with some money to spend o) will prefer to go to Tinapa?? They will rather travel to destination outside Nigeria of course!! When all you got to do is jump on the next available flight and sleep in a $180 room per night and enjoy all the extras that come with it!!

To all the managers of the Tinapa-Anwers on how to manage the Tinapa is already in Management textbooks. Do yourselves a favor and save your job by picking one of these books up, read and apply the strategies.

All the best o!

Well said!

Give me the contract and I would easily turnaround the fortunes in 12 months with a new strategy even without the building of any new infrastructure. Just pure business brains.

Allah, no be mouth!

I believe the name of the movie is Field of Dreams

"If we build it, the people will come"

Unfortunately, that only happens in the movies

Tinapa is a fantastic idea, in some reality.

The reason it's not lived up to expectation is because of issues any good feasibility study would have pointed out 2 years before the groundbreaking ceremony.

Not all good ideas are workable. Would you drive a flying car?
I know I would LOVE to....... I'm just not going to.

Unfortunately, it was an investment decision camouflaged as development economics. That paradigm has been failing from the beginning of time.

And there's that issue of trying to run before you crawl. The baby usually falls flat on its face.

New government, new ventures, that's what's killing Nigeria, when a new administration takes over, they quickly abandon (in a lot of cases) their predecessor's pet project and concentrate on creating a new one to make a name for themselves. That can also explain the numerous elephant projects in the country. na contract dem wan chop

omonnakoda:
You guys never progress because you are liars and never tell yourselves the truth.ALWAYS playing victim .

You over estimate the value of your so called IMPORTS to the NIgerian economy just as you overestimate the volume.

How many of you own ships involved in Container transport.
What is it you import exactly. ?
Nigeria spends Billions importing Fish,Rice,Wheat Sugar tell me which of these you guys are leaders in
For a long time ONE MAN imported most of the Sugar and cement into Nigeria.
In fact till today he imports so much he has HIS OWN dedicated terminal in APAPA and Calabar with NO NOISE
You guys rely on OTHERS to EARN THE FOREX which you use to import YOUR RUBBISH

Fake drugs
Fake spare parts
Okrika clothes
Fake electronics
General fake things

Yet in your own eyes you are Nigeria's BIGGEST IMPORTERS.
You certainly are the BIGGEST MOUTHS

The real importers are manufacturers and industry; SHELL,Mobil,Chevron,Julius Berger,ABB,CocaCola Dangote,Flour Mills,Nigerian Breweries,Guinness,Nestle,Cadbury,IPWA,May and Baker,PZ etc . They Import by the Shipload NOT containers and they make little noise.


If Calabar wants a port they should Dredge it themselves or persuade Investors to do it and top waiting for the FG to do it

This one is even on a very long thing

ngozievergreen:

This one is even on a very long thing

Are you back after how I traumatized your introitus? Don't mess with me or you will need pudendal rehabilitation by the time I finish with you

Wetin be TILAPIA abi.......eh?

Afam4eva: Tinapa was a good initiative but was not well thought. The major militating factor is the location. Calabar is ot a commercial city by any standard and such a project couldn't have been sited there. Such projects would have been successful in Aba, Onitsha, Lagos or parts of Ogun state closest to Lagos.

Totally disagree with you, it wasn't the location that killed tinapa, IT WAS POLITICS and the free trade zone issue!

TINAPA project was well conceived outside the regular Nigerian political parochialism. the sate was expected to provide primary infrastructure which it did under Donald Duke and passionately so.
FG under OBJ was expected to provide the necessary regulations and legislations to get it fired up.....FG did not.
What was FG supposed to do in details (which OBJ gave Duke his words even publicly but insincerely).

1) Sponsor an executive bill to declare TINAPA duty free for imports of manufacturing inputs.
2) Dredge Calabar River to allow for heavy berths.
3) Join the Eastern Rail network to Calabar and other parts of Nigeria where Tinapa would serve.

These was later seen as a hammer blow to the South West economy.
The my northern brothers were scared to further empower the East and South South.
Its a parochial thinking. They forget that they can partake in the economy boom.
Duke is a visionary....we need more of his likes to revolutionize our economy.
Ethnicity and ignorance is killing us.

omonnakoda: Are you back after how I traumatized your introitus? Don't mess with me or you will need pudendal rehabilitation by the time I finish with you

we are talking sth serious on dis thread.
How can telling me 'yorubas are stagnant bones ' going to damage my introitus?
Hia..nothing pesin no go see for dis thread. Be serious for once

Gaskia: TINAPA project was well conceived outside the regular Nigerian political parochialism. the sate was expected to provide primary infrastructure which it did under Donald Duke and passionately so.
FG under OBJ was expected to provide the necessary regulations and legislations to get it fired up.....FG did not.
What was FG supposed to do in details (which OBJ gave Duke his words even publicly but insincerely).

1) Sponsor an executive bill to declare TINAPA duty free for imports of manufacturing inputs.
2) Dredge Calabar River to allow for heavy berths.
3) Join the Eastern Rail network to Calabar and other parts of Nigeria where Tinapa would serve.

These was later seen as a hammer blow to the South West economy.
The my northern brothers were scared to further empower the East and South South.
Its a parochial thinking. They forget that they can partake in the economy boom.
Duke is a visionary....we need more of his likes to revolutionize our economy.
Ethnicity and ignorance is killing us.

well said, bro

ngozievergreen:

we are talking sth serious on dis thread.
How can telling me 'yorubas are stagnant bones ' going to damage my introitus?
Hia..nothing pesin no go see for dis thread. Be serious for once

Do I look like I am joking with you.

TINAPA is too far off from everywhere, even many people living in calabar have not visited the place before, I mean how can I drive for about an hour from inside calabar just to shop in some empty malls.

Talkless of people from far off.

Gaskia: TINAPA project was well conceived outside the regular Nigerian political parochialism. the sate was expected to provide primary infrastructure which it did under Donald Duke and passionately so.
FG under OBJ was expected to provide the necessary regulations and legislations to get it fired up.....FG did not.
What was FG supposed to do in details (which OBJ gave Duke his words even publicly but insincerely).

1) Sponsor an executive bill to declare TINAPA duty free for imports of manufacturing inputs.
2) Dredge Calabar River to allow for heavy berths.
3) Join the Eastern Rail network to Calabar and other parts of Nigeria where Tinapa would serve.

These was later seen as a hammer blow to the South West economy.
The my northern brothers were scared to further empower the East and South South.
Its a parochial thinking. They forget that they can partake in the economy boom.
Duke is a visionary....we need more of his likes to revolutionize our economy.

Ethnicity and ignorance is killing us.

You guys have a victim mentality and cannot do anything for yourselves. The Private sector is the way forward are you not aware the FG has concessioned TinCan.The FG has no money for Ports.ANy new ports would have to be Private Sector or Oil Rich states . The private sector do not operate on sentiment which is your stock in trade they follow the money and that is why they are in Lekki,Badagry and Olokola.If this was some conspiracy as you say why has the FG not dredged Ogun,Ondo or even Delta so they can keep it in the West. We are waiting for them to break ground in Ibaka. 2015 is round the corner
Did the FG stop Godswill Akpabio buildin his so called Ibaka seaport. All we hear is Talk and more talk. We have TWO new ports underway in Lagos state. Can anyone show us the latest photos from Ibaka

django1: TINAPA is too far off from everywhere, even many people living in calabar have not visited the place before, I mean how can I drive for about an hour from inside calabar just to shop in some empty malls.

Talkless of people from far off.

thats not wat spoilt Tinapa

Non of the Present or proposed Ports is modelled like Tinapa. Tinapa is a combo of business and resorts. It's the only non oil big creation. No private sector would invest where legislation is unfavourable. The state cannot promulgate laws bothering on National economy like duty relief.
Is Dubai not far?
What is our sense of far and near? Its only a measure of reference point, every near place is far from somewhere else and vice versa.
Donald Duke's only mistake was to believe that Nigeria is serious about moving forward.
If the Ajaokuta steel, Aluminium Smelter Plant and many other projects with economic revolution potentials are all in limbo, what do you think?
Visionaries are naturally frustrated by the morbid drive for mundanes. Why do we still have laws preventing states with power generation capacities from producing and distributing same for profits.
Brothers and Sisters, am not from Cross River but I think Duke has the brain for real progress.
Imagine the annual Obudu Mountain race which is now on international marathon Calendar...a smart foreign reserve earner like the grand Prix if well positioned.(he created it)
We need Ideas please. Tinapa was conceived to be given momentum by the State and then handed over to the private sector because of the needed change in operative laws. It was greatly privately funded. Can someone show me any private refinery years after licenses have been rolled out? The first will be that of Dangote because of those behind him.
My country is crying, dying but God shall revive her.

Regards.

Thanks everyone for posting and commenting. What I have summarized is that Tinapa wasn't a bad project but just needs time and more investments -particularly private investment to grow.
The place is certainly very beautiful (Thanks for the pics, Horus). dunno why it's not more patronized that it is.

I still think that location matters though. A resort like that would have done much better in a city like Lagos (or maybe onitsha like some people said). This makes me wonder how well Eko Atlantic will perform. Eko Atlatic is also being hyped at the moment. Let's hope it doesn't fail.