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How South Africa, Kenya And Others Are Reaping Nigerians Off Through Tourism by onismate: 12:00pm On Oct 02, 2017
What is wrong with Nigeria? Abeg wetin dey do Nigeria in terms of tourism in Nigeria. I’m very angry with the way Nigeria is handling her tourism sector.

I work in a travel and tour company, and I must say that Nigeria is now a fishing ground for African countries to sell their tourism. Nigeria is not ready to develop her tourism industry.

2 weeks ago, the Zimbabwean government in partnership with their tourism agency came into Nigeria, they took 200 Nigerians, and part of them were tour guilds, consultants, travel agents and journalists. They took them to Zimbabwe in a bid to sell the Zimbabwe destination. And travel expenses of the 200 people were paid by the Zimbabwean government.

Presently, the hottest destinations for Nigerian tourists are South African, Kenya and Namibia. Nigerian tourists are visiting this places heavily. Morocco discovered this and sent their people late last year and this year 2017 to sell destination morocco as a great tourist destination for Nigerians. And it’s working fine for them, Nigerian tourists are visiting that destination.

Now Zimbabwe is following suit. Many other countries are doing more, they hire Nigerian travel agents and partners to sell their countries. As we all know, Nigerians like travelling out, they want to experience new places and adventures. Some rich folks are no longer interested in having their weddings in Nigeria. People are looking at destinations weddings. So all those destination countries most especially Africa has studied Nigeria, they know that we a great consumers, they come in and sell us their countries as destination, and we buy them.

Some few days ago in my company, we were about booking a flight for someone going to Kenya, and it was an urgent flight. We discovered that all flights from all airways from Nigeria going to Kenya has been booked. No seats available for a period of 5 days. So we booked her for the 6th day. Now wetin Nigerians dey go do for Kenya? Out of those people going to Kenya, 40% of them are going on tourism, 30% on just full business while 20% are just on business and leisure which involves a part of tourism.

All these countries I mentioned and more invests heavily on their tourism sector. They come into this country, take people (travel experts, journalist, bloggers, agents and tour guilds) from here free of charge to their countries and spoil them. Then when they return, they start selling those countries destinations as a great tourist destinations because they have been there, so they tell the stories and tourists buy into it.

My problem and anger now is that Nigeria is not selling any destination to foreigners outside the country. Even we Nigerians don’t even know much about tourist destinations in Nigeria because the Nigerian destinations are not even promoting and selling them.

In South Africa, only 40% of them possess international passport. The remaining 60% no get, dem no dey travel. The same can’t be said of Nigeria. Just go any immigration office make you see people dey queue. Everybody wan travel. I’m not saying travelling is wrong.

The Nigerian government needs to spend money in tourism, we are still wasting our time on oil. If those money budgeted for oil exploration in the North could be channelled into tourism, we will make huge amount of money with visitations of foreigners. Massive Jobs will be created.

Do we have tourist attractions and destinations in Nigeria? Yes we do but some of them are decaying away without proper management and good maintenance culture.

Take for instance Obudu cattle ranch in Cross River state. Lately, people have been complaining about some dilapidated structures in the place, the lack of maintenance around the tourist center. Obudu has even lost its appeal and beautiful touch. With all those complains you find many Nigerians trying other destinations outside the country.

Now what is wrong with Nigeria? We have the yankari tourist center and other places, why can’t the managers pump in money, maintain the places and promote it for tourists to visit. We are so lazy in this country that we leave our infrastructures to decay without maintenance. Abi the government and managers of thinks foreigners would just visit this place as a tourist center without any form of promotion bringing them here.

One of my colleague and boss visited a foreign diplomat, the diplomat said Nigeria doesn't know how to sell themselves to the outside world. He said when you get to his country, some of the perception his people who hasn't been to this place has is that of withcraft, kidnappings, and bombs flying accross people's heads. Some people back home would even ask him how he manages to live here. So, he's the one that explains to them that Nigeria is not like that, all the negative stuffs they hear about the country are mostly lies. So Nigeria should be able to sell itself, culture, tradition and heritage through tourism.

South Africa is among the 20 most visited tourist destinations in the world. They didn’t achieve that by just folding their hands and waiting for foreign tourists to just come. The South Africa tourism (SAT) spends money, they bring Nigerian celebrities and other travel bloggers for free just to promote their destinations. And Nigerian tourists would see and read their stories and then fly to South Africa to see for themselves. All of them na marketing strategy from (SAT).

Nigeria needs to wake up, brace up because the world is gradually leaving us behind. Tourism is a gold mine and the Government needs to develop that sector.

http://hovabuzz.com/frontline/1413-how-smaller-african-countries-are-using-nigeria-to-make-money-through-tourism

lalasticlala
seun

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Re: How South Africa, Kenya And Others Are Reaping Nigerians Off Through Tourism by londoner: 11:56pm On Oct 02, 2017
Op sorry to correct you but you mean 'ripping' and not 'reaping'?

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Re: How South Africa, Kenya And Others Are Reaping Nigerians Off Through Tourism by brownlord: 12:50am On Oct 03, 2017
Your president for months was outside your country, your senators go on jamboree to UK, US on tax payers money for virtually no reason. Your politicians go to Mecca and Jerusalem in the name of Pilgrimage ( tax payers money ). Part of the reason the speaker of Edo state house of assembly was impeached was that they the law breakers wasn’t getting what’s due them. According the clown a member of the house I listened to, they are supposed to go on vacation overseas twice every year and they haven’t gotten allowance for that. Ghee forget all this ya epistle no sane person will travel to Nigeria with the epileptic power supply, kidnapping, killing and civil unrest. Your Nigeria embassy in foreign countries, they are supposed to market your country to the outside world. But they do otherwise, they tell their host that Nigerians living in those country are criminals, drug peddlers, what then do you expect those people to think about Nigerians back home if the one in their country are painted black by the people who are supposed to protect them.

You don’t have a national carrier, Nigeria is the only country the numbers of private jets is more than commercial airline. Have you been to your airport? The first time I was traveling out of Nigeria just at the departure lounge power went off for several minutes and every one started laughing including foreigners. Try and visit MMA and go to baggage area, the heat and smell that will welcome you, is worst than public toilet.

How about the rogues you have at the airport with over 5 different uniforms who all do the same job. Search your bag and start asking stupid questions and at the end rip you off your money. You can’t attract any tourist with such mediocrity.

Most countries with the kind of visa they issue, they force you to fly their national airline which generates revenue for them. In your case you don’t have.

You don’t have hospitals, if they fall sick, shebi na Agbo Jedi you wan use treat them. Nigga you better calm down there, na how to chop we never fit chop you they talk of tourism

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Re: How South Africa, Kenya And Others Are Reaping Nigerians Off Through Tourism by chukxie(m): 10:47am On Oct 04, 2017
Nice article. Everything negative is wrong with Nigeria! This is because for decades Nigeria has relied on proceeds of petroleum for its revenue while completely or partially ignoring other areas of revenue generation. Tourism is a source of revenue generating billions of USD for countries like Thailand, Maldives, Indonesia, China, France, The UK, Cambodia, Seychelles, Mauritius, South Africa, Kenya just to mention a few. I hope the Nigeria gov't would wake from its slumber to the reality of the immense financial potentials that tourism - local and international would bring it.
Re: How South Africa, Kenya And Others Are Reaping Nigerians Off Through Tourism by Afam4eva(m): 11:15am On Oct 04, 2017
Nigeria seems to be the only country in the world that is not serious about developing itself. All we have as achievement since we gained independence is tribalism and corruption and even more corruption. Even the poorest countries in Africa are trying to better themselves but with all our resources and human capital, our leaders are looking for how they can tweak the system to favour their pockets.

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Re: How South Africa, Kenya And Others Are Reaping Nigerians Off Through Tourism by MtuMsuper: 11:52am On Oct 04, 2017
Op, what are Nigeria's selling points that's the place to begin. Don't try the safari tourism thing, Kenya, Zimbabwe and South Africa will beat you hands down. In any field of business inIts very important to know your advantage ,and leverage it accordingly. What is Nigeria's selling point?

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