Nigeria’s tourism enigma, investor and founder, la Campagne Resort, Chief Wanle Akinboboye, has said the country’s petroleum tourism economy has failed to aid the full blossoming of the emerging tourism logistics and aviation industry.
He described the missing gaps as worrisome and also responsible for the attendant crisis on increase of fares on ground transportation, boating and aviation architecture in the country.
“If we have deployed our reserves and liquidity in oil economy, ensured our refineries are in top shape, fuel capacity for movement of goods and services, and persons, including logistics back up, wouldn’t give stakeholders, investors and consumers of tourism offerings a nightmare as the case witnessed in the country” he stated.
Chief Akinboboye, the biggest tourism resort facilitator in Nigeria and a culture entrepreneur, explained further that the petrol tourism economy is strangulated in strange unexplainable circumstances, thus impacting negatively on the cost of movement of persons, goods and services which if properly addressed, would make destination Nigeria, very attractive, affordable and profitable to investors, visitors, and also a huge impact on the country’s GDP.
He spoke during a curtsey visit by Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (ftan) World Tourism Day celebration committee to intimate him about plans for the event, seek his support and prayers and as request his presence as lead speaker at its open conversation on the way forward for the industry impacted negatively by COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Gani Tarzan Balogun, who led the team and also President, National Association of Tourist Boat Operators and Water Transporters ( ATBOWATON), disclosed that chief Wanle Akinboboye is an industry icon, who has contributed significantly to shape the sector , hence the visit to carry him along to give new meaning to how the industry can quickly bounce back and contribute meaningfully to rapid growth of the sector and also benefit stakeholders and government at large.
The FTAN event slated for Eko Hotel for the indoor activities and Takwa Bay beach for open conversation and colourful boat regatta and water tourism games, comes up in Lagos on September 27th, which is globally celebrated as World Tourism Day, domesticated by each country to compliment its cultural tourism aspirations.
