Top 25 Travel Destinations in the World for the year 2015

The following destinations were rated based on millions of reviews by travelers and tourists in the year 2015:

#1: Marrakech (Morroco)

#2: Siem Reap (Cambodia)

#3: Instanbul (Turkey)

#4: Hanoi (Vietnam)

#5: Prague (Czech republic)

#6: London (United Kingdom)

#7: Rome (Italy)

#8: buenos aires (Argentina)

#9: Paris (France)

#10: Cape Town central (southafrica)

#11: New York city (United state)

#12: zermatt (switzerland)

#13: Barcelona (Spain)

#14: Goreme (Turkey)

#15: Ubud (Indonesia)

#16: cusco (Peru)

#17: St. Petersburg (Russia)

#18: Bangkok (Thailand)

#19: Kathmandu (Nepal)

#20: Athens (Greece)

#21: Budapest (Hungary)

#22: queenstown (New zealand)

#23: Hong Kong (China)

#24: Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

#25: Sydney (Australia)

Portharcourt Carnival 'CANIRIV' cancelled

          Residents of Port Harcourt say the cancellation of the annual carnival by the Rivers Government has affected recreational and tourist activities in the state.
               Reports said that a carnival 'Carniriv' used to hold every December in Port Harcourt by the immediate past administration in the state. The residents observe that the event, described as biggest after Carnival Calabar, was cancelled by the present administration of Gov. Nyesom Wike. The residents, who spoke with NAN on Monday, said that the importance of the carnival in the life of the people should have been considered before the cancellation. They said that the carnival attracted many local and foreign tourists and investors to the city which increased economic activities. According to them, the event, not only showcases the state and the people’s cultures to would-be investors.
      This is not the first time a carnival is been cancelled in the country this year under the present administration. The question is Where is Nigeria tourism (particularly, Carnival) going under this administration?

NTDC and Kano state Government to partner on Jiga Dam project and others

The Kano State government has expressed its readiness to partner with Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation ( NTDC ) on Jiga Dam Project, women and youth empowerment programmes which he believed would boost domestic tourism in the state.
            The permanent secretary, Kano State Civil Service Commission, Mr Abdullahi H. Kwaru stated this in Abuja yesterday when he led a 4 – man delegation from the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to the headquarters of NTDC. While acknowledging the roles played by the Corporation in laundering Nigeria’s image abroad, he said the purpose of the visit was to seek collaboration with NTDC on domestic tourism as well as in promoting other tourist attractions in the State. Responding, the Director General of NTDC, Dr Sally Mbanefo reiterated her commitment towards the actualization of partnership with Kano State especially in the area of marketing and promotion of domestic tourism.
            According to her, “Kano State is one of the tourism friendly states and also a major tourism hub and gateway in Nigeria, so this is why NTDC found it strategically important to establish the tourism information desk and travel portal at the Aminu Kano International airport.
She noted that the desk would facilitate travel businesses and promote hospitality and tourism services in Kano and Nigeria generally.

    By: chika okeke

Ijora Kingdom (Akindele Prestigios Youth) Carnival called off

The parade in the Kingdom of Ijora Oloye Apapa, Lagos state was busted by the Police due to a reason known to them.
           The spectacular event was due to begin at 12.00pm before the policemen came around destroying the carnival costumes and accessories of the various color houses. Crowds and the thousands would be participant of the Akindele prestigious youth Ijora Kingdom carnival were urged to stay away by the policemen.
 According to rumors it was said that the decision to stop the carnival came from the state government. The Oba tried to make the event occur but it wasn't enough.
 It was really a sad day for the youth of the community which left them no other choice than to face the police. This turned to riot in the community, while the police were shooting, the youth were stoning them according to report.

Minister Advocates Tourism Development Fund

The minister said a tourism development fund will serve as an incentive to private sector participation in the development of tourism in the country. He said the federal government is determined to create a more conducive environment for tourism to thrive in Nigeria, adding that areas of improvement include infrastructural development, curbing youth restiveness which he said scares away tourists, the enactment of a sustainable institutional framework for public private partnership and the establishment of a national carrier to fly the nation’s flag.
     “Today, as the nation grapples with the daunting challenges of re- strategizing the gains of our democracy and also occupying its pride of place in the comity of nations, tourism has been identified as a veritable option for sustainable development,” Mohammed said.
 He also said the commitment of the present administration towards exploiting the full potentials of the tourism sector is an effort to diversify the economy. Mohammed added that revenue from oil proceeds can no longer sustain the growing demands of the nation, meaning that now is the right time to explore tourism as a “catalyst” for economic growth and job creation.
      “The experience of the past three decades clearly highlights the shortcomings of a development strategy that places premium on foreign exchange earnings from non-renewable natural resources, especially oil and solid minerals.
 "The economic and social dislocation that has been the country’s experience from the 1970s right from the first decade of the country had its origin in the collapse of the international oil market. Our experience in the recent past also clearly demonstrates that oil and mineral resources are non-renewable and have very limited potentials for addressing the development challenges that face the country today over the medium and long-term period,” he said.
           He also said the uniqueness of tourism in Nigeria’s economic sector is as important and also evident in its ability to employ the skilled, semi-skilled and the unskilled manpower.
He said: “While its resilience is proven by the fact that despite wars, political turmoil, natural disasters, medical scares, terrorists attacks and economic and energy crises in various parts of the world, international trade in tourism services has grown spectacularly since the 1980s.”
       SOURCE: https://www.naij.com/671468-tourism-can-benefit-nigeria-lai-mohammed.htmlm

MARE MOUNTAIN CLIMBING FESTIVAL

Mare Festival is an annual festival organised by Ondo state government to celebrate and promote the cultural heritage and showcase the tourism potentials  of the sunshine state.
       The 2015 edition of the annual cultural cum tourism programme of the Ondo State government, Mare festival, which was scheduled for the 18th and 19th of  December.
     The event that started yesterday, focused on the potentials of the hills in Idanre, an ancient town and the exposition of the tourism potentials in the state to the world.
       A major feature of this year’s event is the showcasing of Idanre Hills resort, Habitat 1 and Tourism zone.The festival drew participants and tourist from far and near. Another important feature of the mare is the all important mare marathon. Mare marathon is an event introduced as part of activities for the celebration since year 2010. The 23kilometres event kick off from akure the state capital of ondo state to the ancient city of idanre,the mountaineous venue of the celebration.

15 countries to attend Calabar Carnival 2015

The Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, on Sunday said 15 countries within and outside Africa have booked places in this year’s Calabar Carnival. Mr. Ayade also assured the world that the state is ready for the festival and would offer a rare hospitality to all who would attend the annual street party.
    The Calabar Festival, said to be the biggest street party on the continent, Kicked off on November 30 with carnival dry runs, decoration of streets and opening of the festival village. The festival was created as part of the vision of making Cross River State, the number one tourist destination for Nigerians and tourists all over the world. The carnival, which will last till December 31, has boosted the cultural rich of Nigeria, while entertaining millions from within and outside the country.
      Usually, a few embassies in the past indicated interest in the programme but this time around, 15 countries are coming and the state government is ready to host them and other visitors to the state.

Traders lament poor patronage at Calabar Festival Village

Traders at the Calabar Festival Village have decried the poor patronage being experienced since the commencement of commercial activities at the facility.
        The traders expressed their feelings in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Calabar Botanical Garden, venue of the festival on Sunday. NAN reports that the Calabar Festival Village is a 24-hour market which remains open from Dec. 1 to Jan. 1 as part of the annual Calabar Carnival. The facility has all the trappings of a conventional market mixed with fun in line with the mood of the season. The traders, however, told NAN that the atmosphere in the market had remained dull compared to the situation in previous years.
A dealer in electronics, Mr Innocent Nweze, said that he could hardly sell more than one item a day since he brought his goods to the market last week. “The atmosphere is just too dull. I came all the way from Onitsha and this is the third time of my participating in the carnival. I was here in the last two carnivals. “I made some good sales in the past, but this year I don’t understand what is happening. “People are not attending as expected and even those coming in only admire our wares. They sometimes price the goods but will not buy,” Nweze said.
      A food vendor, Mrs Sarah Okim, also lamented the poor turnout of people, saying the development was affecting her business adversely. “Honestly, I do not know what is happening this year. This year’s experience is something else. “Not many people are visiting the venue. Maybe they will come later but the time is fast running out,” she said. Okim added that many of her customers had complained of lack of money in circulation in the country. “People say there is no money. I hope that when workers receive their December salaries the situation will change,” she said.
     Mr Ernest Igbanugo, who sells cell phones and accessories, however, told NAN that his major problem was the activities of criminals at the venue. “I have lost some items, especially in the night. I think the major problem is security. The venue is not conducive for commercial activities. “The situation is not like the previous years,” he said.
Source: Pm news

Joke of the Day: You think you have Family problem? read mine

Two men met at a bus stop and struck up a conversation. One of them kept complaining of family problems. Finally, the other man said:- "You think you have family problems? Listen to my situation:
A few years ago I met a young widow with a grown-up daughter and we got married. Later my father married my step-daughter. That made my stepdaughter my stepmother and my father became my stepson. Also, my wife became mother-in-law of her father-in-law. Then the daughter of my wife, my stepmother, had a son.
This boy was my half-brother because he was my father's son, but he was also the son of my wife's daughter which made him my wife's grand-son. That made me the grandfather of my half-brother. This was nothing until my wife and I had a son. Now the half-sister of my son, my stepmother, is also the grandmother. This makes my father the brother-in-law of my child, whose step-sister is my father's wife, I'm my step-mother's brother-in-law, my wife is her own child's aunt, my son is my father's nephew and I'm my own grandfather!
And you think you have family problems??!"
The man fainted

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed says FG to roll out cultural festival calendar

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed , on Sunday, said his ministry would soon roll out a cultural festival calendar for the country.
Mohammed announced this at a news conference at the Music Festival in Kaduna. He said his ministry would collaborate with state governments to produce the calendar to guide Nigerians, particularly tourists on when and where festivals were holding.
``The truth of the matter is that today we have so many festivals in many parts of this country.``One of the suggestions that I put on the table in my ministry is that we will liaise with every state government to give us ten cities in their states and these cities in each state will give us 360 cities.
``And with the five local governments in the Federal CapitalTerritory, we will have 365 festivals. Then, we can have a calendar of festivals in Nigeria which means at least one day in Nigeria there will be festival’’, he said.
According to him, this is going to help to attract tourists to Nigeria.``The problem we have today is that nobody knows where and when the festival is holding. It is part of the things we are trying to do and we know that we can get ten cities that have different culture, craft and art.’’
The minister said his ministry would encourage states to have more than one festival owing to the nation’s diversity. Mohammed, who described entertainment industry as a huge potential to boost the nation’s economy, said if properly harnessed, it would make up for the shortfall in oil price. ``I have seen the huge potential of the creative industry and what we need to do is to provide enabling environment for it.`` More importantly is the energy that youths are coming out with today and that energy must find outlet in the creative industry like music, movies, entertainment. ``When Nigeria rebased its economy, the increase you saw was largely due to this self-effort of the creative industry. ``And I believe that you could have seen much more if only we are able to help them by giving them long term loans to boost the industry.’’
According to him, the ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Information and Culture are collaborating to provide supports for
the creative industry. ``
   Gov. Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State said the motive behind the Kaduna Music Festival was to create jobs, promote Nigerian culture and mobilize youths positively to channel their energies to productive endeavours. The governor, who said the State Government used to hold Kaduna Cultural Festival annually, announced that it would be merged with the music festival in 2016 to enable the state extend its festival period from two to seven days.

Amaechi, Transportation Minister, Talks Tough During Working Visit to NIMASA

The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has directed immediate financial and staff audit of the Nigerian Maritime and Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). The minister gave the directive on Monday during his maiden tour of Lagos ports and a stop-over at NIMASA Resource Centre, Kirikiri. Amaechi also directed the Acting Director-General of NIMASA, Mr Haruna Jauro, to forward details of contracts awarded by the agency for verification.
                The former Rivers governor demanded a detailed financial report of the agency since its inception “Over N100 billion is given to this agency yearly and I am yet to see how it has been spent. I am yet to see some of the projects being executed by this agency,’’ Amaechi said. The minister also requested for the staff nominal roll and details of staff employed by the agency and their qualifications. He instructed the acting director-general to forward the staff nominal roll of the agency to the Federal Ministry of Transport to know if there were vacancies to be filled. Amaechi expressed dissatisfaction with the ill-equipped clinic laboratory at the NIMASA Resource centre.
“From my inspection so far, I discovered that the Search and Rescue clinic is not equipped; the canteen is in deteriorated condition; the chairs are not okay and the place is leaking,’’ the minster said. NIMASA is the apex regulatory and promotional maritime agency in the country. The agency was created from the merger of National Maritime Authority (NMA) and Joint Maritime Labour Industrial Council on Aug. 1, 2006. Earlier, the minister directed the management of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to work toward achieving 48 hours cargo clearance target when he visited the headquarters of the agency in Lagos. He said he had promised President Muhammadu Buhari that he would ensure Nigerian ports achieved 48 hours cargo clearance target. “Other countries operating maritime industry are achieving 48 hours cargo clearance, so Nigeria is not an exemption. “I believe in transparency and hard work. We should endeavour to do what people are expecting us to do. “I will inform the public about the activities of the maritime industry to make sure you do what people will like to know,’’ the minister said. In an address, the Managing Director of NPA, Malam Habib Abdullahi, said the agency had made tremendous efforts in the last three years in managing the affairs of Nigerian ports.
     
             Credit: Vanguard

Tourism Expert Condemns Killing of Jos Wildlife Lion

Charles Ajunwa, One of Africa’s revered promoters of tourism, Mr. Ikechi Uko has condemned the killing of the only lion left in the Jos wildlife park which escaped recently, describing the killing of the lion as a huge loss to the country’s tourism sector.
     Mr. Uko who said he had a personal connection with dead lion, regretted that the gains made in the tourism sector are being wiped away.The organiser of Akwaaba travel fair who disclosed this on his Facebook page titled: “Jos Wildlife Lion Killed”, said the Jos wildlife park was badly managed. “That lion is the only lion in the once popular Jos wildlife park. The lion escaped some days ago from the badly managed park and was executed by Nigerian police and civil defence operatives. Now these guys are celebrating their feat of killing a lion but for me it’s a huge loss. I feel a connection to the dead lion. Slowly we are officially wiping away the small tourism gains we all fought for over the years. Nigerian tourism is in reversal right now. Too bad,” Mr. Uko said.
     Mr. Uko’s post on the Facebook also attracted comments from some concerned tourists. Some of the comments read thus: “I am deeply pained not just for killing of an innocent lion but at the level of our ignorance. No one should blame those guys, a large number of our population are unaware that we need to preserve our wildlife. We must come together and drive this consciousness into our people and stop complaining. Let’s start now,” posted one of the commentators.
Another commentator posted: “Under the NTDC (Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation) watch? Don’t we have a corporation charged with the promotion and marketing of Nigeria as a tourism destination? The death of this lion is a loss to tourism income and jobs. The real tourism promoters should organise a funeral for this lion.”
This commentator has this to say: “Life is beautiful seeing something wonderful within us that make us happy…but it get worried and worst when things we want are being taken away for unnecessary act. If the lion is in mountains this couldn’t have happened. If a tranquilliser is available it would have saved the life of the lion.

American hotel (Radisson) invests N4b in Ogun tourism sector

Radisson Hotels, a member of Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, United States of America (USA), has moved to invest N4 billion in the hospitality industry in Ogun State through the establishment of Park Inn Hotels and Suites located at a choice area in the heartbeat of Abeokuta, the State capital.The hotel was the defunct Ogun State owned Gateway hotels, which Radisson acquired through a concession agreement. According to Marc Descrozaille, Vice President of Sub-Saharan Africa, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, the management had observed the increasing economic potential of the State, especially in the tourism and hospitality industry and have taken advantage of it.
   The hotel, sitting on hectares of land boasts of high- class facilities, including a swimming pool of international standard. Descrozaille said, “This is the latest in a series of important hotel openings for us in Africa and we are delighted to welcome the first Park Inn by Radisson in Abeokuta to further strengthen our leading position in Africa”. “The growth of Ogun state’s economy has led to increased demand for hotels, and Abeokuta’s strategic location means that it has developed as a key business and leisure destination,” he added.

 Source: www.ngrguardiannews.com/2015/12/american-hotel-invests-n4b-in-ogun-tourism-sector/

Kaduna Carnival "Shameful, Irresponsible": Shehu Sani Slams El Rufai

The senator representing Kaduna North, Shehu Sani, has condemned the Kaduna State government for organising music festival as the nation faces economic and security challenges. Mr. Sani said in a statement that the music fiesta the state plans to organise was uncalled for as the state had competing demands and financial challenges.
      “The upcoming multi million naira jamboree known as Kaduna music festival stands unreservedly condemned. “The event is an indecent and immoral proposition and an affront to the people of Kaduna, the North and the whole of Nigeria struggling to survive economic hardships and pervasive insecurity. “It’s shameful, disgraceful, irresponsible and utterly insensitive that at this sorrowful and mournful season of bloodshed and economic difficulties, the Kaduna state government and so called ‘banks and the private sector’ have jointly decided to feast, make merry and dance on the graves of victims of Boko Haram insurgency in the North. “It’s callous and amounts to insouciance that at a time when thousands of civil servants and pensioners across the nation remained unpaid, multi million naira is about to be wasted in a musical event. “With over 25 thousand innocent persons killed by insurgents, more thousands abducted and unaccounted for, over two million people displaced from their hamlets, homes, villages and towns in the north, and with soldiers on the frontline fighting and dying to restore peace and order in the north, the musical event is nothing other than playing the fiddle while Rome is on fire.
    “The musical jamboree is nothing but a complete waste of public and even private resources that could have better be channelled to address other social and economic needs and emergencies of the nation. “It’s ironic that the very proposed venue of the event where millions of tax payers money will be wasted, the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, remains an uncompleted arena for the past 50 years. “Kaduna musical festival is a spit on the face of abandoned orphans, neglected widows and widowers ‘generated’ by the violence in the North. “Attending Kaduna Musical festival amounts to canonization of Emperor Nero. I call on President Muhammadu Buhari to reject the invitation to attend the charade called Kaduna Music festival. “It’s a contradiction and morally reprehensible that the same Kaduna State government that declared that it will no longer finance pilgrimage to Saudi and Jerusalem and that it refuses to sponsor Ramadan feeding for the poor and Tafsir, but now have enough money to sponsor and host a musical jamboree,” said the senator.

What is your opinion on this?

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/194951-kaduna-carnival-shameful-irresponsible-shehu-sani.html

Stephen Keshi loses wife

Former coach of Nigeria’s national team, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has just lost his wife, kapital929.fm reports.

       The wife was reportedly pronounced dead on Thursday at his
hometown in Delta state.
The footballer got married to her at 21.

Miss Tourism Nigeria Becomes 1st Black To Win Exquisite Face Of The Universe

Miss Tourism Nigeria Queen, Collete Nwadike has emerged winner of the Exquiste Face Of The Universe 2015/2016. She was crowned last night as the new universal queen after edging out over 50 other contestants at the event which held in Sao Tome And Principe.
        Collete Nwadike who became Miss Tourism Nigeria in May 2014 was appointed SA Tourism to Anambra State Governor, Dr. Willie Obiano less than a month after her crowning; and went on to become a sensation in Nollywood Factory & Mnet Africa's production 'The Calabash' as lead actress.

Source: alexreports.info 

Tourism is the greatest employer of labour – Mbanefo

Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation(NTDC), Mrs Sally Mbanefo, has described tourism as the greatest employer of labour.
   Mbanefo who said this during the 2015 World Tourism Day, with the theme, “1 Billion Tourists, 1 Billion Opportunities,” and held in Enugu State, underscored the role of the tourism  sector  as  a valuable  and sustainable  source of  livelihood for  millions of people. She said, the corporation under her administration is leaving no stone unturned to ensure practical development and promotion of domestic tourism, which according to her, will propel job creation, develop the nation’s economy, and raise social awareness on cultural preservation and environment protection. Her words: “Nigeria has a better advantage over so many other countries to benefit from tourism. We have the advantage of population. Tourism contributes 10 per cent to the global GDP but as at now, Nigeria is not fully benefiting from tourism like other countries. For instance, 4,333,000 tourists visited Nigeria in 2013, which contributed about four per cent to our GDP, while tourism contributes 17.7 per cent to the GDP of Gambia; 13 per cent to Egypt; 12 per cent to Kenya; 11.9 per cent to Mexico; 9 per cent to South Africa, and six per cent to Cuba. “We need to know that Nigeria should focus more on tourism as the best alternative to oil, with domestic tourism as the catalyst. “I need to emphasise that Nigeria has the best of the ingredient of tourism. We have fascinating tourist sites, enviable cultural festivals, good weather, good and hospitable people. Have you ever wondered why most diplomats, after serving their terms chose to stay back in Nigeria? It is because of the warmth and friendliness of our people, environment and potentials.” Mbanefo, who emphasised that the potential of tourism in Nigeria is N4billion prayed that government should take privatisation to the next level, which according to her will further facilitate an enabling environment for tourism to thrive in Nigeria. The NTDC boss lauded the Enugu State government for making tourism alive in the state, while describing the state as a hub of eco-tourism. Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Mrs Nkechi Ejele, described tourism as the way forward for Nigeria. She noted that the ministry is, on a daily basis, intensifying efforts at ensuring the money spinning sector is well developed and promoted in Nigeria, to ensure Nigerians, among the people of other countries, maximally benefit from the potentials of tourism.

Tourism – an economic and social phenomenon

Over the decades, tourism has experienced continued growth and deepening diversification to become one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world. Modern tourism is closely linked to development and encompasses a growing number of new destinations. These dynamics have turned tourism into a key driver for socio-economic progress.
   Today, the business volume of tourism equals or even surpasses that of oil exports, food products or automobiles. Tourism has become one of the major players in international commerce, and represents at the same time one of the main income sources for many developing countries. This growth goes hand in hand with an increasing diversification and competition among destinations.This global spread of tourism in industrialised and developedstates has produced economic and employment benefits in many related sectors - from construction to agriculture or telecommunications.The contribution of tourism to economic well-being depends on the quality and the revenues of the tourism offer. UNWTO assists destinations in their sustainable positioning in ever more complex national and international markets. As the UN agency dedicated to tourism, UNWTO points out that particularly developing countries stand to benefit from sustainable tourism and acts to help make this a reality.

 Source: UNWTO

Stairway to Heaven in The Jantar Mantar monument of Jaipur, Rajasthan

The JantarMantar, in Jaipur, is an astronomical observation site built in the early 18th century. It includes a set of some 20 main fixed instruments.
     They are monumental examples in masonry of known instruments but which in many cases have specific characteristics of their own. Designed for the observation of astronomical positions with the naked eye, they embody several architectural and instrumental innovations. This is the most significant, most comprehensive, and the best preserved ofIndia's historic observatories. It is an expression of the astronomical skills and cosmological concepts of the court of a scholarly prince at the end of the Mughal period.
      The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur is an outstanding example of the coming together of observation of the universe, society and beliefs.

[Source: UNESCO]

Barbados (Caribbean) named Destination of the Year by Caribbean Journal

         PRESS RELEASE – Barbados wins big in 2015 with the recognition of the island as ‘Destination of the Year’ 2015 and acknowledgment for the opening of its newest resort, Sandals Barbados, dubbed  the ‘New All-Inclusive Resort of the Year’ by Caribbean Journal in their coveted Caribbean Travel Awards. Based on the efforts demonstrated by the tourism sector and marketing reach made throughout the year, the Caribbean Travel Awards highlight the “Best of 2015” for readers of Caribbean Journal with followers that span over 60,000 readers a month in the Americas and internationally. “We are honored to be named Caribbean Journal’s “Destination of the Year,” acknowledged the Honorable Richard Sealy, Minister of Tourism and International Transport. “This accolade is sincerely appreciated and we see this as manifestation of our efforts to improve the destination product. I salute all the stakeholders whose dedication has contributed significantly to this recognition. Barbados has benefited with the recent increase in airlift options for travelers from all markets and we fully intend to continue the positive trajectory of growth as we move into 2016.” “It is great to see Caribbean destinations using cutting edge marketing and creativity to draw new travelers,” stated Alexander Britell, Editor in Chief of Caribbean Journal. “Barbados has had a tremendous year in that regard and our team of Caribbean experts is proud to honor them for that achievement.” This honor comes at a historic moment for Barbados, celebrating its 50 anniversary of independence this 2016. With the addition of new JetBlue routes from the Boston market and Mint service for the luxury set, the island continues to strengthen its connection to travelers in the US market. Offering a colorful and culturally driven variety of events and activities for every niche, consumers continue to view the destination as the ultimate in sun, sand and sea.
          For a complete list of all the awards from the initial Caribbean Journal Caribbean Travel Awards, please visit www.caribjournal.com .

DESTINATION OF THE DAY: Agordi Garden

          Agodi Garden Ibadan, Oyo State is Located at the foot of Mokola Hill, where Premier Hotel stands imposing, the garden, which used to be a tourist resort with a wealth of floral resources, had suffered decades of neglect, as it was overgrown with weeds and thickets. Its facilities were also dilapidated while the grounds remained unkempt, a situation, which affected it's patronage. But that was until two years ago, when the state government In partnership with a private firm embarked on its rehabilita­tion. The result is an aesthetic showpiece of well-landscaped ambience with a generous dose of preserved nature that opened to the public last Christmas. Re-christened Agodi Resort and Conferences, the multi-billion naira facility on Parliament Road, nudging the Dandaru Lake,offers a comforting recreational harbour, with ever-green shrubs, decades-old exotic trees, flapping wings of colourful birds and the gentle lapping of water waves on the bank of the lake. To these have been added other modern features including swimming pools, play areas for kids with mounts, inflated balloons and toys, a zoo, walkways, bar and eatery. There are also toilets, each of which is equipped with modern accessories suitable for all ages. To sustain its greenery, a lake that surrounds the park supplies all-year-round water to plants and life in the garden, and somewhere farther to the boundary over-looking a large natural pond that supplies the city with fish, a dam-like pool flourishes to the excitement of members of the boat club.Here, three red inflatable rafts bubble to and fro on the water when not in use.
    Remarkably, the exotic tropical trees in the garden have been preserved to provide shade for visitors and home for the birds. Plaques providing information about the various species stand next to these trees.The almond trees, indigenous to the high forest and the kadan trees found mainly in wetland to lowland of African forests, with their aroma extending 100 meters, reflect the splendour of nature. The fig tree, for instance, tourists are made to know, attracts thousands of bats from across the continent because of its fruits. Also at the park are lilac tree, which was used in 1958 to preserve Ibadan rivers and streams, and the age-long dracaena tree commonly found in high forest. Up North of the entrance is the swimming pool with spiraling water slides. Apart from the zoo, it is the most guided section of the park. Its seclusion is marked by high wire fence and a gate. Operators of the pools forbid children without swimming jacket in it and non-swimmers are not allowed access. However, there are life guards watching swimmers in both pools in case help is needed to rescue someone.
     The zoo, set completely under tall trees, is yet to be equipped with many animals. However, it can boast of two lions in the largest cage. Two little crocodiles can be seen in a shallow pond while at the middle of the zoo, there are cages where monkeys are kept.
     Although the Agodi Gardens has existed for many decades, it has never attracted so many tourists as it is now. The beauty of the park is not limited to the day. At night, the garden is illuminated by Christmas lights, which will soon give way to neon lights.
     Visit this place to experience life fun filled....

ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL TRADE FAIR LAGOS 2015

The annual international trade fair presently holding at the Tafawa Balewa Square started on friday 6th of November and expected to be on Sunday 15th of november. The Annual Trade fair Lagos 2015 is a fair dedicated to the promotion of the Nigerian
economy. The Annual Trade fair Lagos 2015 presents products and services in categories such as :Building and Construction materials and systems Agriculture and Food Production Oil, Gas and Petro-chemical Industrial & production machinery Transport / Aviation Mining and Energy Business Equipment and Data Processing Systems Telecommunications Healthcare and Safety Equipment Training and Education Scientific/ Technological Break-through Banking and Finance Services The Annual Trade fair Lagos 2015 brings together about 500,000 visitors from Nigeria and other countries, including investors, businessmen, top government officials and representatives and customers. 

Strong summer sees tourism figures rise in Germany

The 2015 summer holiday season has led to a further record for
incoming tourism to Germany.
For the period of January to August, the Federal Statistical Office
has counted overall 54.5 million international overnight stays in
accommodation establishments with at least ten beds, which is
2.9 million nights more than in the same period of the previous
year.
Consequently Incoming tourism, for the first eight months of the
year has shown a further 5.5 per cent growth.
During the holiday months of June, July and August alone, 27.4
million overnight stays by foreign visitors were registered, seven
per cent more than in the corresponding period last year.
Individually, the UK registered a 12 per cent increase for the month
of August 2015 and Ireland showed a nine per cent increase
compared to the same period for last year.
Petra Hedorfer, chief executive, German National Tourist Board,
sees the latest results as further proof of the increasing
attractiveness of Germany as a holiday destination: “According to
the IPK, in the last two years (2013 and 2014) the leisure travel
market from Europe and overseas have each grown more than
seven per cent - more than the entire incoming tourism for each of
those years.
“The above-average growth for the summer months confirms the
importance of this market segment for tourism to Germany.
“During those three summer months, we generate about a third of
our Incoming annual results.

Source breakingtravelnews.com

List Of Individual Award Winners For 2015 U17 World Cup

With an outstanding team packed with talented players,
Nigeria successfully defended their crown at the FIFA U-17
World Cup Chile 2015. Furthermore, the west Africans took
centre stage when it came to the individual honours too.
Top scorer Victor Osimhen and captain Kelechi Nwakali both
made their mark on the competition, and after winning the
adidas Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, the latter
followed in the footsteps of Cesc Fabregas and Toni Kroos,
who are now key members of the senior sides with their
respective national teams. Osimhen set a new U-17 World Cup
goalscoring record, while Mali’s Samuel Diarra and Ecuador’s
example of Fair Play were also recognised.
Adidas Golden Ball: Kelechi Nwakali (Nigeria)
After missing the 2013 party because he was not included in
the list, however, the playmaker showed his worth as he
shouldered responsibilities and kept a cool head in difficult
moments. He scored three goals, including two penalties, and
provided a further three assists, a haul that also brought him
the adidas Bronze Boot.
Adidas Silver Ball: Victor Osimhen (Nigeria )
The striker, who names Didier Drogba as his role model, more
than lived up to expectations in Chile after finding the net in all
seven games at the competition. His effort in the final – his
tenth goal overall – set a new tournament record, beating the
previous best-mark set by Côte d’Ivoire’s Souleymane
Coulibaly in 2011 and France’s Florent Sinama Pongolle in
2001. Osimhen duly finished as top scorer in South America.
Adidas Bronze Ball: Aly Malle (Mali)
Alongside Boubacar Traore, Sekou Koita and Sidiki Maiga,
Malle formed part of an impressive attacking line-up that put
opponents under pressure right from the off. Operating as a
nominal striker, the No9 often dropped deep to pick up the ball
and brought his team-mates into the game on countless
occasions.

adidas Golden Boot: Victor Osimhen (Nigeria/10 goals, 2
assists)
Victor needs no further introduction, he is the man of the
moment obviously. Am sure his dad will be in his house right
now like ''Osimhen, I know say one day you go make us
Proud''.

adidas Silver Boot: Johannes Eggestein (Germany/4 goals, 0
assists)
Eggestein’s best performances for Germany came in the group
stage, where he found the target four times in three matches
to go joint-top of the scorers’ chart alongside Osimhen after
the first phase of the tournament. Although the striker, who
plays for Bundesliga club Werder Bremen, was unable to add
to his tally after Germany were eliminated by Croatia in the
Round of 16, he still did enough to win the adidas Silver Boot.

Adidas Bronze Boot: Kelechi Nwakali (Nigeria/3 goals, 3
assists)
Captain Fantastic was alway in hand to expel opposition
attack Gattuso style and also recycled fast as Cave would do.
No doubt, Nwakali is Mr Capable.

Adidas Golden Glove: Samuel Diarra (Mali)
For the fourth time in tournament history, the best goalkeeper
of the finals was presented with an award. this time the
winner was Samuel Diarra, who reached the final with African
champions Mali and routinely frustrated opposition strikers
with some spectacular saves

Fair Play Award: Ecuador
In their five games at the tournament, the South Americans
only committed 69 fouls, collected just four yellow cards and
had one sending off for a second bookable offence, making
coach Jose Rodriguez’s charges worthy winners of the FIFA
Fair Play Award.

Russian Metrojet Flight Broke Apart at High Altitude

Russia mourns, experts and search teams are on
the scene of the Metrojet Flight 7K9268 crash in
Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula . They are looking for pieces of
the Russian aircraft and recovering the bodies of the
224 passengers and crew who died, as the
investigation into the cause of the crash commences,
the Associated Press reported .
The Airbus A321-200 was at 31,000 feet, just 23
minutes into a flight from the Red Sea resort of Sharm
el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg, Russia, when, according to
Alexander Neradko, head of Russia's federal aviation
agency, it broke up at high altitude, scattering
wreckage over six square miles, the AP said. Neradko,
who is part of a multi-agency team inspecting the
crash site, would not speculate about the crash’s
cause, due to the ongoing investigation.
As the AP revealed, there seems to be differing
perspectives on the aircraft’s condition prior to
takeoff.
An Egyptian ground service official who was part of
the crew who conducted the preflight inspection told
the news service, "We are all shocked. It was a good
plane. Everything checked out in 35 minutes," the
official, who remained anonymous because he wasn’t
allowed to talk to the media, added that the closest
this jet came to trouble was three months ago when the pilot
aborted takeoff due to a system error. "That's almost routine
though," he said.
However, as reported yesterday by the AP, Russian TV quoted co-
pilot Sergei Trukhachev’s wife, who said their daughter "called him
up before he flew out. He complained before the flight that the
technical condition of the aircraft left much to be desired."
An Egyptian official had said, per the AP, that the pilot told air
traffic controllers that he was having technical trouble and was
going to attempt a landing at the nearest airport before contact
was lost. Then there are theories that the Metrojet flight was brought down
by malicious action.
Alexander Fridlyand, expert and head of Moscow’s aviation
research center, said in a televised interview, per the AP, that the
plane’s sudden drop in altitude could mean a bomb exploded in
the luggage compartment.
A local Islamic State affiliate did make a statement on social media
that they had “brought down” the aircraft. But as the AP explained, there was no supporting evidence provided, and the militants are
not known to have the capability to take down a plane at cruising
altitude.
Fridlyand also presented the possibility that the plane’s power
system malfunctioned, which could have caused a fire or both
engines to shut down, the AP said.
Alexander Smirnov, Metrojet's deputy director, countered this,
saying on TV, per the AP, "An engine failure doesn't lead to
catastrophe,” he asserted on television. Smirnov called the A321
“reliable” and said automatic systems would compensate for crew
mistakes.
But Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi insisted the cause of
the crash might not be known for months.
"It's very important that this issue is left alone and its causes are
not speculated on," he told a group of top government officials,
military members and security forces. The investigation "will take a
long time" and "needs very advanced technologies," he said,
according to the AP.
Meanwhile, Lufthansa, Air France, Emirates and Qatar Airways
have announced that their jets will not fly over the crash area until
the cause is known, according to the AP.
Sunday saw Russia's air-safety regulator order Moscow-based
Metrojet to suspend flights temporarily, the AP said. But Metrojet
is continuing to operate the six remaining A321s, saying, per the
AP that this order meant each jet would be checked individually
and allowed to keep flying if it passed inspection.                                                                                reported by Travel pulse.

ECONOMIC CHALLENGES 2015: tourism may rescue Nigeria

The impact of falling oil prices has led
experts point in the direction of the tourism
sector as an alternative source of revenue
generation. Some experts who spoke to
LEADERSHIP said repositioning tourism as a
viable alternative to oil would require the
enactment of requisite legislation and
appointment of professionals to key
positions.
Some of the experts that bared their minds
on the state of the tourism sector include
the minister of Tourism, Culture and
National Orientation, High Chief Edem Duke;
director-general, National Commission for
Museums and Monuments (NCMM), Mallam
Abdallah Yusuf Usman; president,
International Council of African Museums
(AFRICOM), Mr Nath Mayo Adediran;
president, Hospitality & Tourism
Management Association of Nigeria
(HATMAN), Mallam Aliyu Badaki Ajayi;
organiser, Abuja Bantaba and Akwaaba
African Travel Market, Mr Ikechi Uko and
National President of Institute for Tourism
Professionals (ITP), Chief Abiodun
Odunsanwo.
They submitted that there was the need to
revisit the Tourism Master Plan which was
inaugurated six years ago, noting that 54
years after Nigeria attained independence in
1960, the classification of hotels and tourist
sites had remained undone.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP, the minister of
Tourism, Culture and National Orientation,
High Chief Edem Duke, argued that the
classification of hotels and tourist sites was
the mutual responsibility of Nigerians since
the assets were located within the states.
“Classification of hotels and tourist sites
requires a collective responsibility of each
and every one of us. Very many of these
assets are located within the State and it’s
important for us to collaborate with the State
in certifying these Resorts as well as in
identifying the quality standard,” said Duke.
He was optimistic that professionals at the
Hospitality and Tourism Stakeholders’
Forum, organised by the National Institute
for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR),
would reach a consensus on the
classification which is likely to commence in
2015 as a major part of their mandate.
Disclosing the intent of the federal
government on listing national monuments,
Duke added, “The federal government has
identified 100 monuments around the
country and we are already trying to engage
with the private sector to see how we can
invest in their restoration because if we
don’t have these monuments, definitely, a
lot of our history will go away in years to
come.”
The minister gave the assurance that
transformation was underway in the sector
in terms of human capital development,
infrastructural development and the
restoration of national heritage, and insisted
that they would be form a major initiative in
the transformation agenda.
For his part, the director-general, National
Commission for Museums and Monuments
(NCMM), Mallam Abdallah Yusuf Usman,
noted that the federal government, through
NCMM, had identified more tourist sites,
historical sites and monuments for
protection.
He stressed that a number of museums had
been opened while exhibitions were carried
out abroad, which helped in laundering the
image of the country.
“The way forward for the industry in 2015 is
to sustain the game by coming up with
imaginative programmes that will capture
the attention of policy makers, political
leaders and the general public, intensify
action and improve on capacity building as
well as strengthening the institutions, the
administrative and legal frameworks and
getting quality staff who can push the initiatives forward,” said Usman.
He enumerated poor perception of the
importance of museums and monuments by
the public and low budgetary allocation as
major setbacks to the sector.
On the repatriation of Nigerian artefacts
taken away by colonial masters, he added,
“As I keep saying, the issue of repatriation
is both legal and political. We are exploring
these two avenues and we are engaging the
countries that kept the artefacts in their
museums and through the process, we have
succeeded in repatriating quite a large
number this year. We have in our custody
over 100 of such artefacts that have come in
from Europe and United States within the
last three to four years.”
He said that the NCMM had contributed in
growing the economy by providing,
developing and managing tourist
destinations such as museums, heritage
sites and monuments, adding that the
reason for developing the sites was to
attract more investments and help in
growing the economy.

Boko Haram insurgency: Counting the losses in Nigeria’s Tourism sector

The damage done to Nigeria’s image and her
economy as a result of the lingering
insecurity in the country cannot be
underestimated. It is against this background
that analysts believe that the current war on
insurgency is desirable for the country and its
sustainable development. DAVID AUDU
reports.
Imagine a Nigeria where the bombs will
cease to explode on innocent Nigerians;
the guns stop raining bullets on young and
old; where residents in the troubled parts
of the will sleep in the night with their two
eyes closed, and when commerce and
industry will thrive.
Yes! Imagine the sigh that will greet the
landscape in post-Boko Haram Nigeria
when tourists will, once again, see Nigeria
as their preferred destination of relaxation,
and travel bans and warning alerts issued
by western nations on Nigeria will stop.
Imagine when schools will reopen in those
areas and students will resume full
academic activities; when market women
will go to the market without fear of bombs
exploding in their midst.
And the numbers of imagines are endless
when the war against Boko Haram is
finally won. While it is not impossible, it
means the current onslaught on the
insurgents must continue with ferocity.
It is clear that safe and secure
environment is a pre-requisite for living
and for businesses to thrive, especially, the
business of tourism which derives its
strength from foreign perception of a
peaceful country.
Apart from insecurity, the second most
important systems for business is political
stability. For Nigeria, as many
commentators have already observed, a
free, fair and credible election, as we are
about to witness in days to come, will help
propel rapid confidence in Nigerian
economy, and with the threat of Boko
Haram crushed, tourists will again begin to
reassess traveling to Nigeria.
A random sampling of opinion of
foreigners’ perception of Nigeria suggests
that of a country at war.
A targeted facebook and twitter survey of
foreigners show that insecurity is a major
draw backs for Nigeria quest for foreign
direct investments, FDIs, while at the same
time, the current efforts to dislodge the
sect from Nigeria’s territory was equally
hailed.
Their views were informed by news
beamed to the outside world, and the
negative effect on Brand Nigeria is
incalculable. The immediate impact of
such negative perception is discouraging
foreign investments, dwindling tourism and
hospitality businesses. Losses from
tourism as a result of insecurity run into
several billions of Naira.
According to recent reports from tourism
experts and a report on the rate of
business confidence in states across the
country, the northern region has lost over
N10 billion in five years due to the
continued insurgency, Experts observe that
within five years, the region witnessed the
lowest tourists’ arrival, inconclusive
business visits, no opening of an
international branded hotel, closure of
amusements parks and bars, loss of
revenue by government, and gross stifling
of social life.
“If you add the aggregate of profit hotels
would have made at a much better
occupancy rate within the four years, the
new ones that would have opened, the
revenue from the parks, new bars and
restaurants that would have opened, the
revenue accruing to government as tax,
and other tourism-related businesses that
would have been flourishing since the four
years, the loss is monumental,” said a
hospitality expert.
The loss of revenue over this period,
according to Business Confidence Report,
will continue as no northern city made it to
the top 15 alternative investment
destinations in 2013 and as the region
continues to enjoy the lion’s share of
insecurity.
A report quoting an executive of the
National Employers’ Consultative
Assembly (NECA), Mr. Timothy Olawale,
said that over 70 per cent of businesses
have partially closed operations in
northern Nigeria as a result of the growing
insurgency. Some others have relocated to
neighbouring countries, including Ghana.
This, he said, is a great disservice to the
government’s local and foreign direct
investment drive. The ripple effect extends
to loss of jobs and reduced staff morale
and productivity. Why the tourism sector is
hard hit is because it is difficult to
convince a foreigner to make a tourist trip
to Nigeria due to frequent disturbing
reports in the international media.
Reviewing the potential for tourism in a
paper delivered late last year by the
managing director of Insight
Communications, Mr. Jimi Awosika, noted
that the World Travel &Tourism Council,
WTTC, estimates that 3.8 million jobs
(plus 2.4 million indirect jobs) could be
created by tourism industry in Sub-
Saharan Africa over the next 10 years But
all these may be lost if the current war
against insecurity is not won decisively.
Winning the war is therefore an important
aspect in the reformation of the economy.
If Nigeria is to benefit from this there is,
then, there is the need to reduce threat of
insecurity. Post-election and post Boko
Haram envisages that Nigeria becomes an
investment drive to be pursued vigorously.
Brand Nigeria will be greatly impacted.
It is a known fact that no business can
survive in an insecure and tensed
environment, tourism industry is no
exception.
According to WTTC, the developed nations
are now based on an increased ratio of
global tourism, several developing nations
are starting to reap benefits of the massive
opportunities presented by tourism.
In this direction, therefore, experts say
Nigeria is wealthy enough to be a great
tourism spot as it boasts of abundant
natural and human resources and wishes
to become one of the established
economies world as well as a leading
country in Africa by 2020 In order to
materialize the dream, they say Nigeria
needs to determine the effective
exploitation of its assets to attract the
native and global investors.
This they say require peace so that efforts
will be channeled towards development.
Nigeria’s entry into the international
meetings with the soon to be
commissioned Calabar International
Convention Center, ICC experts say, is
significant, not only because of the
country’s large population, but also for its
projected continuous economic growth.
With a GDP of US$510 billion and a
population of over 170 million people, 40
million of whom are middle income
earners, Nigeria is surely a viable place to do business.”
But to secure Nigeria’s economic future
and reposition the country for the
attainment of its economic goals and
competition in the global market, analysts
believe, all must support the current effort
of President Goodluck Jonathan in the
fight against Boko Haram, irrespective of
political leaning and affiliations, stressing
that Nigeria belong to all of us and it is
only a free and secured nation that will
grow economically.

Nigeria: Hoteliers Seek Govt Bailout Fund for Tourism Sector

Secretary of Nigeria Hoteliers Association, Kaduna branch, Mr Jijiwon Akpovwovwo, has appealed to the Federal Government to provide a bailout fund for development of the tourism sector.

Akpovwovwo made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

He said tourism contributed about 10 per cent of the National Gross Domestic Product and provided employment to Nigerian youths.

Akpovwovwo said tourism was the "fastest developing industry in the world" and as such Nigeria should support its development to tap maximally from the sector. He also urged the government to grant two years tax exemption for new hotels to encourage more investment.

The secretary cited the cases of countries like Gambia, South Africa and Ghana, where such waivers were granted.

Sustainable Tourism: Key to Poverty Reduction and Environmental Protection

Essentially, sustainable tourism has over the years proved to be a major driver of most developed and emerging economies. Countries like the Republic of Kenya and Seychelles in Africa like their counterparts in the developed countries rely on tourism as their major source of revenue. This among other accruing benefits such as poverty reduction and environmental protection has necessitated the clamor to create the necessary atmosphere that can support sustainable tourism worldwide.  At the United Nations General Assembly recently, a consensus milestone resolution was adopted emphasizing the need to optimize the economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits stemming from sustainable tourism, particularly in developing countries. The resolution was entitled“Promotion of sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, for poverty eradication and environment protection”.
It is significantly broader in scope than the previous ones on the subject, builds on a 2012 UN resolution on ecotourism and draws on a report prepared by United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). In line with its recommendations, it underlines the importance of appropriate national policies, guidelines and regulations for promoting sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, and encourages United Nations member States, regional and international financial institutions to support sustainable tourism projects. They should also enable the creation of small and medium-sized enterprises, promoting cooperatives and facilitating access to inclusive financial services, including micro-credit initiatives for the poor, local and indigenous communities.
The resolution was adopted by consensus and sponsored by an impressive total number of 107 Member States, including Morocco, which, as on previous occasions, was the lead sponsor and in that capacity had steered the whole negotiating process to a successful conclusion. The Secretary-General of UNWTO, Taleb Rifai said that UNWTO welcomed the remarkable acknowledgement of tourism’s ability to advance sustainable development across the world. He also noted that the wide-ranging support to the resolution mirrors the increasing awareness of the vital role that tourism plays in a sustainable future for all and opens the doors for its supportive national policies and international financing.
The resolution places sustainable tourism firmly on the UN post-2015 agenda as it requests UNWTO and other United Nations agencies to develop recommendations on ways and means to promote sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, as a tool for fighting poverty and promoting sustainable development to be submitted to the seventy-first session of the UN General Assembly in 2016.

 By chika nwakwo

Nigerian Tourism Master Plan: Reactions Trail Implementation

However, six years on events in sector has left much to be desired in terms of the manner and pace of its implementation.  As a result, stakeholders in the industry who spoke with LEADERSHIP shared their views on the state of affairs regarding the plan. The president of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria (HATMAN), Mallam Aliyu Badaki Ajayi, said the findings in the tourism master plan document revealed that both the ministry and Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) lack professional personnel. He suggested that competent professionals, including relevant stakeholders, should be involved and enjoined the federal government to show more commitment towards its implementation.

Ajayi was worried over the absence of any intervention scheme for tourism and hospitality development, adding that integrated statistical information aimed at measuring the economic aspects of tourism was not readily available. In his contribution, the president of the International Council of African Museums (AFRICOM), Mr Nath Mayo Adediran, described the tourism master plan as an orphan, saying that the inability to implement the plan was due to lack of competent human resources. Adediran, who is the chief executive officer of RAA Heritage Global Resources Ltd, admitted that there was scanty strategy, capacity and capabilities within the leadership of the sector, stressing that the sector also lacked adequate finances and sponsorship from corporate bodies to market their products.

On his part, the national president of the Institute for Tourism Professionals (ITP), Chief Abiodun Odunsanwo, called on the federal government to involve the private sectors in the industry, noting that tourism was designed to be driven by the private sector since they played key roles. He added that the tourism master plan was a very good document at that time but some of its content had become redundant.

By chika nwakwo

NIGERIA POISED TO EXPLORE KENYA'S CULTURAL TOURISM

 Cross River State of Nigeria is keen on learning on Kenya’s cultural tourism product that has become prominent and pulling factor into tourists to the country besides beach and wildlife safari.

The Director of Culture in Calabar, the Cross River State capital city Dr. Mary Teresa Agba said the State has a lot to learn from Kenya as the City seeks to brand itself as a cultural destination.

“Besides the wildlife and beach safari that we have known Kenya for, we are keen on learning on how to develop and repackage culture as a product as well as embracing sustainable tourism through handicraft business,” says Agba.

She said empowering the communities through handicrafts was one way of ensuring sustainability as well as embracing of Eco tourism practices that is becoming popular in current tourism.

“We are aware of Kenya’s zeal towards Eco tourism by giving communities priorities in areas such as handicrafts, community-made wares among other opportunities that have direct impact on local communities where tourism is being carried out.

Calabar city is a tourism hub for a Nigeria attracting slightly over 0.5 million tourists a year through the famous Calabar festivals that usually takes place between November and December.

The festival showcases cultures such as marriage , cuisine, costumes, dances, oral literature among others.

The city has shown keen interest on borrowing a leaf from Kenya’s cultural activities in the villages within the tourism attraction areas as well as the annual cultural events such as lake Turkana cultural festivals, Maralal international camel derby and Lamu cultural festivals among others .

The call for benchmarking comes during Kenya’s launch of training for over 200 travel trade in the Western countries of Ghana and Nigeria that have shown the potential to the growth of Kenya tourism .

Last year, both counties contributed to 23,000 tourists to Kenya which KTB says can shoot up remarkably with increased marketing activities .
National carrier , Kenya airways is set to launch a direct flight from Abuja to Nairobi , a move that is poised to increase the number of tourists to Kenya.

By Joseph Kobla Wemakor

EGYPT REPORTED 4.4% INCREASE IN TOURIST ARRIVALS

Egypt ended last year with a positive balance and therefore expects "the Land of the Pharaohs" to become once again one of the most visited places in the world by the end of 2015.

"If we continue on the path we have started we will return to normality in the sector by the end of the year," declared the chairman of the Egyptian Tourism Authority, Samy Mahmoud, at a press conference.

According to Mahmud, there was a 4.4 % increase in tourist arrivals, which means that nearly 10 million people visited the country last year. In Egypt where tourism accounts for 11.3 % of Gross Domestic Product, restoring tourist confidence is crucial after the decline experienced by the sector following the 2011 revolution that ended with the overthrow of the Hosni Mubarak regime.

The official stressed that Egypt is a safe country where tourists can have a good time with no need to worry. "The Egyptian Government cares about each tourist visiting the country," he stated. "Currently we have high security systems with cameras and police officers who control all the tourist areas, so there is no need to worry," he explained.

Although he acknowledged that they are indeed facing "some problems" in Cairo, the tourism chief said that the jihadi terrorist attacks in France have shown that nowhere in the world is absolutely safe. The Cairo Airport reinforced its security measures after finding two explosive devices in airport terminals last week. No one was arrested.

"There is great improvement in the situation at the borders. We have security challenges, we have economic challenges but we have the will of the Egyptian people and the Egyptian leadership in moving forward," he explained.

"The situation is much better than it looks," he repeated, and to prove it, although he admitted they are still working towards the recovery of cultural tourism, today hotels in the coastal area – Egypt’s sun and beach tourism – are reporting 80% occupancy.

Mahmud also announced that five direct flights from China will start operating under an agreement that will result in 700,000 more visits annually for Egypt’s tourism recovery. This agreement is in addition to the one signed with Spanish operators who, as of March 21 this year, will resume direct flights from Madrid to Aswan, as well as Nile cruises. 

    Cum from: tourism review