As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, its tourism story reflects decades of institution-building, heritage preservation and efforts to develop destinations.

Since independence in 1960, the country has gradually built structures around tourism, from the Nigerian Tourist Association to the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation.

The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, established in 1987, also reflected efforts to develop professional skills for the hospitality and tourism industry.

Nigeria’s heritage has equally gained international recognition, with Sukur Cultural Landscape and Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove listed as UNESCO World Heritage properties in 1999.

The Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation later emerged in 1992, strengthening the institutional framework for tourism development.

Nigeria also secured international recognition for some of its cultural heritage, with Sukur Cultural Landscape listed by UNESCO in 1999.

Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove followed in 2005, joining the global list of recognised heritage sites.

Other Nigerian attractions, including Oke-Idanre, Ogbunike Caves, ancient Kano City Walls, Old Oyo and Gashaka-Gumti National Park, are on UNESCO’s Tentative List.

Yet, six decades after independence, the question remains how to turn these attractions, institutions and years of promotion into a functioning tourism economy.

Tourism consultant Uche Chinonso said Nigeria’s challenge goes beyond promoting destinations.

“We don’t lack destinations or places to visit. We just lack the public relations and the marketing of the destination,” he said.

According to Mr Chinonso, destination promotion must be matched by places and experiences that give visitors reasons to travel.

“We cannot sell what we don’t have,” he said.

He also questioned the repeated conversations around tourism without enough attention to actual destination visits.

“We always have over 30 to 40 tourism conferences every year in Nigeria, and it’s the same conversation,” he said.

He called for a stronger culture of visiting Nigerian destinations, rather than limiting tourism engagement to conferences and promotional activities.

“Let it be that, oh, every year, we have one or two places we are visiting in Nigeria,” he said.

Mr Chinonso, also the founder of E Travels and Tours, said such visits could help Nigerians become familiar with attractions within the country and build greater awareness of destinations through experience.

According to him, the focus on domestic visitation also places Nigerians at the centre of promoting and experiencing the country’s tourism assets.

“Everybody in Nigeria should be able to sell in destination Nigeria,” he said.

He said Nigeria’s tourism potential therefore extended beyond having attractions to creating experiences around them and making those experiences accessible to visitors.

Mr Chinonso said accessibility, accommodation, transportation, safety, skilled personnel, investment, reliable information and destination management all formed part of that process.

He said the country’s tourism history showed that institutions and recognised heritage had developed over the years.

He said the challenge, however, was connecting those foundations with destinations that people could visit, enjoy and support through their spending.

Mr Chinonso said progress was measured by moving people from hearing about Nigerian destinations to actually experiencing them.

As Nigeria marks 66 years of independence, the tourism conversation is therefore shifting from what the country possesses to how those assets can generate greater economic value. 

(NAN)