YTDONigeria National and FCT Zone holds Post 2022 World Tourism Day Lecture for FCT secondary schools students on Tuesday, 1st November, 2022 at the China Cultural Centre in Abuja.

Endorsed by the FCT Secondary Education Board (FCTSEB) for 10 selected secondary schools (6 public and 4 private schools) as the pilot event and exercise for the education of the youths in schools on tourism and culture and for the formation of YTDONigeria Tourism Club in FCT public and private schools.

The event which adopts the World Tourism Day 2022 theme “RETHINKING TOURISM” with a complementary topic “Exposing the Youths to Tourism and Cultural Skills for Self Employment” is targeted at involving the youths in the global campaign to revive the sector after the COVID-19 pandemic and to encourage them to consciously embrace the many related skills and professions for the sustainability of the sector.

The National President, YTDO Nigeria, Comrade Okon Emmanuel, speaking about the development remarked that, “Young people are the future of any sector and the peak of productivity and they need to be provided with necessary information to help them obtain critical skills and a lifetime experience for their professional life. The sector offers many opportunities for both skilled and unskilled youths and is ideal for meaningful career, employment and good remuneration”, he concluded.

In his own remarks, the YTDO FCT Zonal Coordinator, Amb. (Capt.) Emmanuel Great said, “this event heralds a milestone moment since my inauguration as the FCT Zonal Coordinator for YTDO. We are taking the campaign to the Secondary Schools where it really matters. There is no better way to ensure a sustainable future for tourism in Nigeria, than to target the upcoming NextGens for a deliberate and intentional capacity building program like this”. He further stated that the YTDO FCT Zone is very proud of the newly formed partnership with the FCT Secondary Education Board, a feat which the organization will soon duplicate in all the States across Nigeria.

The lecture is supported by the China Embassy through the China Cultural Centre with other notable industry stakeholders; and it is hoped that the forthcoming and subsequent formation of YTDONigeria platforms at the school level will be supported by the relevant agencies such as National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), National Council for Art and Culture (NCAC) and the National Troupe of Nigeria (NTN), Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (NTN) which one of the mandates includes youths education on tourism and culture.

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The Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) FCT/Northern Zone will be hosting tourism, hospitality and travel Stakeholders during a groundbreaking round-table session and dinner at Sheraton Hotel Abuja on September 19, 2022.

Speaking at a media chat with journalists, the Vice President (FCT and Northern Zone) of the Association, Mrs Cecile Mambo Doumbe expressed delight towards the dawn of this new era that have witnessed a positive energy towards revamping the association, and placing it on the functional pedestal it once had.

Doumbe said the program is very keen for NATOP FCT/Northern Zone and the reason for the gathering of the big wigs and stalwarts of the tourism industry towards creating value for tour operators in Nigeria”

“The event will also be an avenue for Stakeholders to network, brainstorm on how to identified our market, researched the competition, developed a suitable business plan and come up with a unique brand identity for NATOP”, Doumbe stated.

The National President of the Association, Mrs Imeh Udo, stated that, she is very delighted at the prospect of the event, stating that more events, programs and activities are coming up under her new leadership, that will reshape and redesign the business of tour operations in Nigeria. You will recall that recently, the Nigeria Association of Tour Operations, NATOP came under a new administration during an elaborate AGM which held in Owerri, Imo State Nigeria in July 2022.

Notable personalities expected at the event are Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), 2022 Mr Folorunso Coker, Director General, National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, President of Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Mr Nkereuwem Onung, among others.

Other things highlighted as key components of the event are the need for domestic tourism development where all hands must be on deck, also on inbound and outbound tourism advancement.

“There are factors deterring the growth of domestic tourism in Nigeria, and the private sector as stakeholders possesses the technical prowess to drive and fashioned a way out of it. The event is therefore aimed at providing requisite knowledge of tour operators by interaction with versed resource persons at the forum”, Doumbe concluded.

•Nollywood Stars Jim Iyke, Jumoke Odetola, DJ Cuppy among champions to Drive Youth-led Initiative

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, formally launched Lagos Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Youth Alliance, setting a new pace that will enable the State Government accelerate actions towards meeting key deliverables in the global goals.

The Governor’s commitment was greeted with all-round acceptance from youths championing interventions across the 17 goals, as key SDGs advocates thronged the State House in Alausa to witness the launch of the initiative.

Frontline Nollywood star, Jim Iyke, a musician, Florence Otedola (DJ Cuppy) and Yoruba film actress, Jumoke Odetola, led the youths to the event.

The initiative is the first ever Government-initiated but youth-led SDGs action, designed towards creating an effective platform for partnership with youths in achieving the 2030 Agenda. The platform would enable the Government establish an avenue for coordination on SDGs actions in communities and also create the conditions for active engagement.

No fewer than 9,000 youths leading interventions across the SDGs in Lagos have signed up to be on the alliance.

Sanwo-Olu, who was visibly excited by the acceptance of the alliance, told the youths that the future had arrived, as the partnership would afford them to lead Government’s interventions across the SDGs deliverables. He stressed that the Government would be willing to play supportive role, while the youth SDGs advocates leverage their network to make greater impacts across communities.

The Governor said: “What we are about is to see how we can bring SDGs champions and society influencers in our various communities together on platform for measurable impacts. We strongly believe the Government cannot do it by itself. We don’t have the reach and connection which you advocates have.

“When we took the decision to set up this alliance, we wanted to create a partnership through which we can have real conversations and engagement that can improve lives. The future is here and our young people have been given the seat to lead interventions across the SDGs, while the Government plays a supportive role. We want to see how we can turn efforts from this initiative into greater impact in multiple folds.”

The Government’s willingness to addressing key challenges slowing down the attainment of SGDs, Sanwo-Olu said, is central to the facilitation of the partnership, thanking the global goals’ advocates, whom he described as “great minds”, for accepting to work with his administration to meet the SDGs.

He urged the youths to turn the collaborative effort to a life-changing platform, saying the initiative would be a success story if it directly touched lives of the vulnerable people.

He said: “The objective around the alliance is to use the SDGs as a springboard for real development. There is no way we can talk about the future if young people are not in the conversation. I thank the youth advocates and various influencers for accepting to work with us on this alliance. By working with the Government, the interventions can reach a lot of people quicker and faster.”

Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs and Investment, Ms. Solape Hammond, said the alliance was borne out of the conviction that the youth demographic represented a potent force to drive positive impacts.

She said the Sanwo-Olu administration embodied progressive collaboration and engagement, expressing hope that the alliance would achieve its objectives.

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on SDGs, Lekan Fatodu, said the Governor’s commitment towards the success of the alliance manifested in his physical attendance of the event.

Fatodu, while presenting the SDGs champions to Sanwo-Olu, said: “Many of the young people we have on the alliance are most active advocates in physical and digital spaces. They have expressed their interest in sustaining the engagement with the Government to deepen trust and confidence.”

Nollywood actor Jim Iyke said he was excited by the willingness of the Governor to allow the youths drive the alliance. He approved of the partnership and pledged his commitment to its success.

Also, Odetola promised to use her Nollywood platform to promote actions in the areas of mental health, substance abuse and gender equality.

The Arole Oduduwa & Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, on Friday, 16 July, 2021 led top dignitaries including the Governor, State of Osun, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, to officially launch the Ife Grand Resort & Industrial Park in Ile-Ife.

In a statement signed by his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Comrade Moses Olafare, the Grand Resort, located beside the tollgate on the Ife-Ibadan expressway is a brand new city of hubs driven by urban renewal initiatives of the Ooni Ogunwusi to serve as the hub for sustainable development, fountain of employment generation, radar of empowerment and satellite for branding and showcasing the cultural heritage and value of Ile-Ife the source and natural headquarters of the Oduduwa race globally.

According to the press release, the huge investment is a legacy project embarked upon by Ooni Ogunwusi for urban renewal and redevelopment into the current smart city global requirements in the selfless spirit of ‘Charity Begins At Home’

The Ife Grand Resort and Leisure which is planted on over 1000 acres of land will aside from offering facilities for exquisite lodging/accommodation, harbour multiple industrial parks with pockets of industries currently producing many industrial and agricultural products as well as rendering essential services to the resort, the Ife community and Nigeria.

Capt. Emmanuel Great, President, Osun Tourism Stakeholders’ Association with Dr. Adebisi Obawale, Hon. Commissioner for Culture & Tourism, State of Osun during the launch of Ife Grand Resorts

Sitting comfortably within the Ife Grand Resort which is a focal attraction on Friday is the 3000 seating capacity Meeting Incentives Conference and Event (MICE) Centre branded ‘Ojaja Arena’, a complex of architectural wonder planted by Ooni Ogunwusi to add value of relevance to urban renewal in Ile – Ife.

SEE VIDEO:

 Ooni Ogunwusi disclosed that he deliberately brought the 3000 seating capacity event centre to make Ile-Ife the epicentre of MICE in Africa, saying that the ‘Ojaja Arena’ has been configured and positioned with all facilities to satisfy demands of Meetings , Incentives, Conference and Event adding that it would also shore up intellectual and congregational activities in Ile Ife, the ancient source of mankind.

“We are building a brand new city driven by urban renewal initiative. The Ojaja Arena is basically not built for social activities but a centre for training and manpower development for youths in this country, considering Ile-Ife to have over 500 thousand students of about 20 tertiary institutions; Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and Schools of Nursing within 100km radius surrounding Obafemi Awolowo University built at the nucleus Centre in Ife over 60 years ago.

The question in my lips has been, what will these young vibrant youths will be doing after tertiary institutions, the best bet is to set up a hub that is technology friendly to boost and drive small and medium scale industries within our country Nigeria by creating a smart city for them to display whatever they can do to become employers of labour after graduation. It is a sad truth that no industries to employ them all. We can only encourage them to create industries for and by themselves because that is the reality on ground”. Ooni said.

The natural traditional head of the House Oduduwa worldwide also revealed that “One of the industrial parks within the Ife Grand Resort Colony, the Adire hub has engaged 50 people, empowered over 150 others and started producing adire in bales which are being exported to foreign countries.

He also disclosed that one of the agricultural parks which specializes in rearing of Ostriches has also employed another set of 40 staff who have started rearing Ostriches in an unprecedented manner with the vision to produce ostrich hides and skin in high commercial quantity for export purposes.

The Co-chairman, National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria(NCTRN) revealed that the various industrial parks have started receiving collaboration and acknowledgement from Africas in diaspora who are willing and ready to train and empower interested individuals in various segments of the park.

“We have received pledges for training and exchange programs between the Brazilian, Cuban and other governments in the carribeans towards the empowerment of Nigerian youths both the male and female folks for post- COVID -19 empowerment action plan”

“We are occupying over 1,000 acres, we are building a brand new city that Urban renewal and it is going to be a itech environment, it is a smart city that will have a hub, industrial hub, Ostrich farming hub, Adire Hub, Green farming, Sport Academy, film and entertainment village. The resort it is a culture and tourism destination that is close to nature. You don’t even have to move around the country.”

“What we’re doing is to replicate this, we have already commenced in Ondo, Oyo and Lagos states and we shall be launching these projects concurrently. It is a means of creating an avenue for our young minds to see Nigeria from a positive perspective, so we’re creating a country from a country.

“A country in the sense that is a localized environment, for them to be there and be successful and reach out to the world like the typical Adire hub that we have done we are exporting to 25 countries now. We are shipping to everywhere in the world and we have agents all over.

“We started that one just three months ago and it is fast gaining global recognition, the same we are going to start organic remedies (Our herbal medicinal products recently launched strategically with YEMKEM). We’ll soon have a factory here from where we’ll send it to the world.

“So it is an industrial park that is fintech driven and it is through fintech that we’re even selling what we are selling at the hub. They place orders from anywhere globally and we ship to them, life is easy for everybody.

“There is equally the African village that reminds us of our ancient ways of living and yet bring it to the modern world, everything that has to do with pan African is there. Then the sporting arena is another industry that is huge, we would have a mini camp for training and development in the sporting world. We are going to have an 18 hole Golf Course.” Ooni said.

The resort is scheduled to host the Grand reception aspect of the installation activities for the Iyalaje of Oduduwa Race worldwide to be conferred on the Lagos business magnate cum philanthropist Princess (Dr.) Toyin Kolade by the Arole Oduduwa, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife on Saturday.

By Michael Oyetunji

Nigeria’s domestic tourism suffers a major setback as one of its finest educational tour attractions in Abuja, Usuma Dam puts an indefinite ban on any tour-related activity within and around its vicinity.

Lower Usman Dam is the 5th Largest Dam in the world and is on the Usuma River in Nigeria. It was built in 1990 near Abuja, the new Capital of Nigeria., and supplied the city with drinking water. The dam holds 93 million cubic meters of raw water. The water flows to five (5) water plants, where the water is treated before it is passed to Abuja. The total capacity of the water is 10,000 cubic meters per hour.

Usuma Dam once offered a picturesque scenery for picnic, hilly surroundings for hiking and a pacific mass of water body for canoeing and fishing. It is a multidimensional facility, playing host to students, researchers and fun lovers.

It was on this premise that a group of Sustainable Tourism Professionals led by Capt. Emmanuel LordsGreat, CEO at TBS Africa, visited the site very recently for a tourism and sustainability assessment programme. On arrival to the Administrative building at the site, they were greeted by the Head, R & P Department, Mrs Mary Edafe, who stated outright that the site is currently closed for any form of tourism activities.

In a briefing with the representatives, she maintained that the closure has been in effect since the covid19 lockdown and authorities have decided to keep it closed until further notice. She also highlighted, as part of the concerns, “the current security risks in the country, and how difficult it is to trust that tourists can not be bought over by unscrupulous elements in poisoning the entire water body, thus causing harm and possible death to people who consume it in and around the FCT”.

“We are not ready to take chances with our work and pledge to provide clean, safe and portable water for the city”, she remarked. “We also have had rumors that there is a porous border around the dam, so security operatives are on ground to ensure no one intrudes”.

As reasonable as these reasons sounded, it was met with a dose of disappointment in the ears of the visiting tour experts, who had wished the site is accessible for the promotion of domestic tourism. “This is a heartbreaking news for us in the tourism and sustainability industry. We don’t have much eco-tourism sites in the city, and here we are, Usuma dam is off the list”, said Captain Emmanuel, the co-ordinator of the group.

They therefore urge the Government to expedite action in tackling the incessant insecurity issues in the country, so that domestic tourism can grow beyond bounds. The recent pandemic has made outbound tourism an almost impossible venture for frequent travelers, but looking inward for consolation have not been encouraging for the travel and tourism industry.

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Michael Oyetunji, a tour operator and media professional writes from Abuja as the Editor-in-Chief of The Winepress Station, and the convener of Travel Writers Forum, Nigeria.

By Michael Oyetunji

Mpape crushed rock, one of Abuja’s finest attractions for picnic and other recreational activities is currently under threat of insecurity and harassment of fun lovers. According to a recent experience by some sustainable tourism experts and SDG advocates who visited the site to mark the 2021 International Earth Day, hoodlums have taken over the entire space to harass and extort unsuspecting visitors.

In Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Mpape crushed rock is a major tourist site, which initially was a quarry site from where building stones were being supplied. After a while, site workers struck an aquifer: an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock, and it was closed down. But in recent times, Mpape crushed rock became a popular site for Abuja residents due to the beautiful scenery of lake and high cliff it affords, for hiking and picnic purposes.

However, not much is left to be desired of the site as the vicinity now harbors criminal minds and hoodlums who harass unsuspecting visitors and threaten to harm them. It was gathered that a team of sustainable tourism experts and SDG advocates, who visited to the site to conduct a tourism & sustainability assessment in commemoration of the 2021 International Day of the Earth at the site, escaped by a hairs breadth as hoodlums launched an assault on their convoy after ripping them off monies.

Speaking with the coordinator of the team, Captain Emmanuel LordsGreat, CEO, TBS Africa, “we were eager to have fun and celebrate nature, based on the wonderful stories we heard of the Mpape Crushed site, and I in particular was very elated to physically see this wonderful site which I have seen so much in pictures”, he stated. Another participant, who pleaded anonymity also confirmed that they paid their way through to the site by some funny looking guys who claimed to be the security of the environment, but were harassed by another set of hoodlums, and finally chased away by another batch of miscreants.

“Such a scenario, as we witnessed yesterday, is not good for the sustainability of domestic tourism, seeing the potentials such a site has to offer”, said Captain LordsGreat. “Coincidentally, we came here to conduct a tourism sustainability assessment of the site, so we will be publishing a detailed report of our sustainability outlook for this place in the coming days. Government needs to secure this site, and make it safe for visitors, as we don’t have much of such places in the FCT. Tourists should not be subjected to such extortion, fear or harassment.”

Upon further investigation and speaking with some officials of the Abuja Environmental Protection Agency, who pleaded anonymity, it was gathered that after conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), it has been recommended that the site be closed. According to the EIA, the crushed rock site which was used for quarry and mining activities in the past poses a safety risk to tourists, as well as residents of the area due to possible tectonic land shifts which could cause possible dangers to tourist and settlers alike.

Tourism as we believe, is life. It becomes the opposite when insecurity of lives is involved. The tourism sector therefore calls on appropriate authorities to look into the situation and save the environment, thus ensuring the safety of other visitors in the near future.

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Michael Oyetunji, a tour operator and media professional writes from Abuja as the Editor-in-Chief of The Winepress Station
info.winepress@gmail.com
080 9770 7844

TBS Africa, an eco-tourism, tourism4sdgs and sustainability advocacy platform with the mission to promote and run advocacies for eco-friendly & SDG-compliant travel & tourism in Africa has officially joined the UNWTO Global Rural Tourism Startup Competition through her Clean & Green Tourism Campaign”.

The “Clean & Green Tourism Campaign” for Africa which was recently launched as an initiative targeted at identifying eco-tourism sites and attractions in Africa for deliberate, intentional and intelligent “Clean & Green Tourism with SDG Action” activity-based advocacy. TBS

TBS Africa, will be joining the global competition in the second category: Planet – building back better – with focus on projects related to the promotion and protection of natural resources, namely the mitigation of the impact of tourism on waste, energy and water in rural areas.

The UNWTO Global Rural Tourism Startup Competition seeks to source new startups and entrepreneurs that advance the contribution of tourism to rural development and support recovery.

Creating opportunities in Rural Destinations through innovation and digital transformation in tourism to:

  • Fighting poverty: 80% of all people living in ‘extreme poverty’ live in rural communities.
  • Curbing depopulation: By 2050 68% of the world population will live in urban areas and cities will produce 85% of global economic output.
  • Closing the Digital Divide – 87 per cent of people in developed countries used the Internet, compared with just 19 per cent in the least developed countries.
  • Supporting Women and Youth– More that 50% of global workforce employed in tourism are women and nearly 1 billion of the world’s 1.2 billion youth aged 15-24 reside in developing countries and 88% of youth in developing countries live in rural areas; 75 million of them are unemployed.

1. BENEFITS

  • Mentoring by UNWTO and top partners
  • Tailored support for your startup
  • Investment opportunities
  • Form part of the UNWTO Innovation Network
  • Form part of the UNWTO Best Tourism Villages of the World Pilot Initiative
  • Scholarship opportunities for the Tourism Online Academy
  • Opportunity to present your startup at the 14th UNWTO General Assembly in Marrakech Morocco

 

2. CALENDAR

Launch:

6 April

Deadline to submit candidatures:

1 July

Announcement of finalists:

15 August

Final pitch session and announcement of winners:

October

 

3. CATEGORIES:

people

People – Leaving no one behind

Projects that incentivize the creation of jobs and opportunities, promote gender and youth empowerment, build opportunities for vulnerable groups in rural areas.

 

planet

Planet – building back better

Projects related to the promotion and protection of natural resources, namely the mitigation of the impact of tourism on waste, energy and water in rural areas.

 

prosperity

Prosperity – opportunities for growth

Startups that provide innovative solutions through new business models, instruments that promote access to finance, markets and marketing for tourism in rural areas.

 

propulsion

Propulsion of Rural Tech – Implementation of new technologies

Deep Tech – startups implementing new technologies to advance tourism and development in rural areas.

 

4. THE CHALLENGE:

Closer

Closer

Domestic tourism has shown positive signs in many markets since people tend to travel closer. Travellers go for ‘staycations‘ or vacations close to home.

 

New concerns

New concerns

Health & Safety measures and cancellation policies are consumers’ main concerns.

 

Get away

Get away

Nature, Rural Tourism and Road Trips have emerged as popular travel choices due to travel limitations and the quest for open-air experiences.

 

Last minute

Last minute

Last-minute bookings have increased due to volatility of pandemic-related events and the travel restrictions.

 

Change in demographics
Younger travellers most resilient
Change in demographics:
travel recovery has been stronger among younger segments. ‘Mature’ travellers and retirees will be the most impacted segments.
More responsible
More responsible
Sustainability, authenticity and localhood:
travellers have been giving more importance to creating a positive impact on local communities, increasing looking for authenticity.

Tourism has proven to be a tool for economic diversification and a major employment engine with a multiplier effect on other sectors that contribute to rural development. Tourism in rural areas can particularly benefit traditionally disadvantaged groups such as women – who make up 54% of the workforce in the tourism sector compared to 39% for the overall economy.

In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered rising interest from tourists looking for new experiences based around natural and rural areas in the open air, far from congested settings. This, combined with the already rising demand for more authentic experiences that over stronger engagement with local communitiestheir culture and products, such as local OR traditional gastronomy, etc., as well as demand for a greener approach in all stages of the travel experience opens up immense opportunities for the economic, social and environmental revitalization of rural areas through tourism.

The current crisis has also emphasized the importance of building resilience among communities in those rural areas which rely on tourism. This implies better social protection and benefits-sharing among communities, as well as economic diversification and the broadening of tourism products and markets through added value experiences. To achieve this, investment, skills development and education, access to finance, infrastructure development, digital transformation, sustainable development, impact assessment, improved governance and women’s empowerment should be placed at the heart of the recovery plans for tourism in rural communities. This will help support them as they navigate the crisis and build back better for people and planet.

As a show of solidarity with the UNWTO’s #RestartTourism advocacy, TBS Africa, a partnership-based eco-tourism advocacy platform  for Africa has launched the #RestartTourismAfrica, #RecoverTourismAfrica and #RecoverTourismTogether Campaigns targeted specifically as a support initiative for the tourism private sector in Africa.

According to UNWTO, Tourism has the potential to lead sustainable #recovery of societies post #COVID19. International coordination and standards play a crucial role in ensuring tourism’s return. With dialogue, political will and economic support the tourism sector will take off.

At TBS Africa, we strongly believe that restoring the confidence of the African traveller in visiting and exploring African destinations regionally and domestically is our priority for the restart of tourism in Africa  – while keeping tourists and tourism workers SAFE. However, achieving this requires the collaborative support of all actors in the tourism private sector, as well as Governments and host communities.

According to Capt. Emmanuel Great, CEO, TBS Africa and Convener of the Africa Aviation, Tourism & Hospitality Post-Covid19 Recovery Webinar 2020, “the #RestartTourismAfrica initiative is a brainer from the conclusions and recommendations garnered from the “Africa Day Edition” of the Post-covid19 Webinar series last year organized by TBS International. During this particular edition, all parties agreed that all tourism actors must focus on marketing & promoting African destinations to Africans and the world post-covid19 as a tool for harnessing the economic and social benefits tourism can bring for Africa”.

Remember that earlier last year, on April 16, 2020, just three (3) weeks into the lockdown, and in response to the quagmire of challenges facing the Tourism Industry in Africa caused by the Covid19 pandemic, TBS International became the first tourism organization in Nigeria to launch the “Covid19 Recovery Webinar Series” for the Tourism Industry in Africa tagged, “AVIATION, TOURISM & HOSPITALITY POST-COVID19 RECOVERY WEBINARS”, which held once a week for eight (8) consecutive weeks with panelists and audiences spanning across Africa & the Middle East including Government Agencies, Airlines, Hotel Chains, DMCs, DMOs, Tour Operators, Travel Agencies, as well as eminent Presidents, DGs & CEOs of Tourism Boards across Africa.

Supporting the strong community of the tourism private sector in Africa as well as millions of livelihoods that depend on tourism means building a sustainable and responsible travel experience in Africa that is safe for African host communities, workers and travelers alike.

In his continued remarks , the CEO, TBS Africa, who is an experienced aviation and tourism consultant, a “Tourism4SDGs Advocate” and Member, Institute for Tourism Professionals, ITPN, reiterated that, “the tourism industry in Africa continues to grapple with recovery while businesses are keeping up the fight for survival, but let’s not forget that tourism will recover and we will #BounceBackTogether.

“In the coming weeks, we shall be rolling out the schedule of specific tasks and activities to promote the campaign. Therefore, we solicit the contributions, suggestions, personal stories, challenges and active participation of all industry stakeholders, professionals, and governments. They are very much needed and we will make sure all active participants in this campaign will be unequivocally celebrated”.

To actively participate in this campaign and join the conversation, kindly use the below hash tags on all social media channels:

#RestartTourismAfrica
#RecoverTourismAfrica
#RecoverTourismTogether

Also, make sure to join the #RestartTourism Community here at –>> #RestartTourism WhatsApp Group

You may want to contact the Convener at africa@tourismtbs.com or +234 90 2919 3934 to learn more about how to participate.

 

Written By:

TBS Africa #RestartTourism Team

______________________________________________________

Note For Editors:

Tourism Business Synergies (TBS) International is a partnership-based travel, tourism and hospitality training, consulting, support & advocacy organization, serving a large clientele of travel & tourism private sector businesses in Nigeria and Africa. TBS International is recognized by NANTA & ITPN in Nigeria, the African Travel & Tourism Association, ATTA in Africa and the Sustainable mPACT, Sweden, Europe.

TBS Africa, a sub-division of TBS International, is an eco-tourism, tourism4sdgs and sustainability advocacy platform for Africa, with the mission to promote and run advocacies for eco-friendly & SDG-compliant travel & tourism in Africa.

According to the United Nations Environmental Programme, www.unep.org, “research shows that a rising number of tourist are becoming sustainability conscious. The modern tourist wants to give back to the countries and communities and destinations they visit and reduce their impact on the environment”.

But what are the options for the future green tourist or green traveler ? How much of an impact can one person have? The answer is a lot.

It is upon this background, that TBS Africa, a destination marketing and management company, based in Osun State, Nigeria, whose mission is promoting and advocating for eco-friendly and SDG-compliant travel and tourism in Africa, has launched the “Clean & Green Tourism Campaign” for Africa. This initiative is targeted at identifying eco-tourism sites and attractions in Africa for deliberate, intentional and intelligent “Clean & Green Tourism with SDG Action” activity-based advocacy.

Recently in Febuary 2021, the world woke up to the news of the filth and pollution of Lake Naguru, Kenya. According to www.allafrica.com, “all is not well at the lake that hosts the renowned Lake Nakuru National Park. The world-famous Lake Nakuru which was once a pearl in the chain of lakes that dot the great Rift Valley is longer a sight to behold.”

The lake, categorized as a UNESCO World Heritage tourism site, is slowly losing its allure, choking under pollution.

Therefore, starting this year with Osun Osogbo Sacred Groove, to Gurara Waterfalls, and onward to Lake Nakuru, of the Nakuru National Park, Kenya, TBS Africa has identified twelve (12) major eco-tourism sites and attractions in Nigeria and Africa for the “Clean & Green Tourism with SDG Action” Tours for the year 2021.

So why are we doing this?

This is because global tourism is really big business. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), tourist spending swelled from only $2 billion in 1950 to $1.2 trillion in 2015. The number of international tourists has grown by orders of magnitude as well, from 25 million travelled in 1950 to 1.2 billion in 2015.

Domestic tourism is even bigger. It is estimated that between five and six billion people take holidays at home. In one way or another we are almost all tourists. This is good news. Countless jobs have been created in the process, many for the poor.

It also means the potential in tourism going green is massive. But sustainable tourism still only represents a small fraction of the global industry.

Information continues to come out about the damage tourism can do to local environments and economies, including how travel accounts for 8 percent of greenhouse gases and how the foot traffic through national parks damages the very wonders people go there to enjoy.

 

As responsible travel becomes more and more popular, buzzy terminologies continue to pop up. But what does it all mean?

How can you know if the tour you booked or the hotel you’re staying at is actually environmentally friendly or sustainable?

“The answer is simple”, – according to Capt. Emmanuel Great, Tourism & SDG Advocate at TBS Africa and Convener, Africa Tourism & SDGs Summit 2020 – 2030, – “it is by making sure all actors in the tourism supply chain (the tourist, tourism private sector, government and community) becomes deliberate, conscious and intelligent in their actionable resolve to organize, package or participate only in eco-friendly and SDG-compliant travel and tourism. This is the only way to use tourism as a positive tool to fast-track the achievement of the SDGs in Africa”.

“All individuals, corporate establishments and tourism stakeholders in Africa are welcome to participate in our “Clean & Green Tourism Campaign” for SDG Action in Africa.”

We have identified seven (7) Eco-Tourism attractions in Nigeria and five (5) in Africa that we will tour this year and we will be glad to have everyone on any of these life-changing tours.

This SDG Action tours will be special experiences for all individual, corporate or stakeholder participants, as we will be making use of Green/Sustainable Accommodations, Green/Sustainable Transportation, while experiencing and participating in sustainable tour activities.

In the coming days, we will be releasing our 2021 Calendar of SDG Action Tours for Africa, and will be sharing it with everyone on our various social media platforms

Please, join us and get ready to experience sustainable and SDG-compliant travel and tourism.