The growing Nigerian tourism industry has been described as a major market for any developed nation to explore and invest in going by the diverse and rich human-made and natural tourism potentials scattered around the country.
Tourists, visitors and trade exhibitors, who visited Nigeria’s stand at the just concluded Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, made the disclosure in a chat with TTH, adding that Nigeria’s huge population is an advantage for its domestic tourism business.
For a Dubai based Kenyan trade marketing and Public Relations expert, Nancy Karimi Kwanza, “I am saying that Nigeria is a big country and has the advantage that is culturally more diverse and when you look at the market size, you have up to 150 million people. That is huge market already.
“Even if you are producing sweets that are selling for one Naira each, you already have a market, even if only 10 per cent of the population bought your sweets you would be a millionaire. The size is a great advantage.”
Kwanza explained that coming from Kenya, Nigeria was an interesting market for her because Nigerians provided the number of tourist traffic any person could desire, whether they were coming to Dubai to shopping or going to Kenya on holiday.
“I mean Nigeria is a very important market; everybody is interested in what they can get in and from it. In Dubai Nigeria had a good show, your stand is impressively beautiful and if what you do here is what you do in every other big international fairs, then I think you are on the right path to position Nigeria on the world map.
Hamdy El Zoyaki, an Egyptian who also works in Dubai, could not hide his passion for the giant of Africa, as he stood at the Nigerian stand smiling radiantly at the showcase of culture and hospitality gesture displayed by Nigerian at the ATM.
In his words, “I am from Africa, actually from Egypt. I like my nation and continent, especially Nigeria, and my urge to visit African safari and Nigeria is great.
“I Like everything about Nigeria; the people, rich culture, festivals and destination which I heard and read about. Also if you speak of its sport tourism, especially football, Rasheed Yekini still rings bell in my mind. I plan to have my next vacation in Nigeria.”
For the project coordinator, Seven Wonders of Nigeria, Mr. Ikechi Uko, “I am privileged to be one of the few Nigerians that have attended all the major travel markets in the world and I can tell you that this year, the design of the Nigerian Stand alone has given us glory than anything I have ever seen or experienced. My friends from Kenya, UAE, Lebanon, Syria and a lot of them from other countries have come to commend our stand as impressive and brilliant.”
In the words of the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dvine Tour brokers, “I was overwhelmed by the outstanding outing the leader of the Nigerian delegation to the ATM, Chief Olusegun Runsewe, put up for the world to see. It was a remarkable innovation in the history of Nigeria’s participation in international exhibition and a plus for our tourism profile.
“We are gradually making a statement and with Runsewe as the NTDC boss, in the next few years, things will rapidly take shape.I must tell you we were a force to reckon with at the trade platform, which is a good foundation for building our trust in the mind of the world.
Writte By: Wale Olapade
Date: 2011-05-21