A trip to the Nigerian Tourism Development Commission (NTDC) on the worldwide web, would lead you to a tedious search for the commission’s webpage. Your search will certainly lead you to a dead end –a dreary inactive home page of the commission’s website. This is although the least of the woes facing Tourism in Nigeria. A combination of economic, political and security concerns have stifled the growth of tourism in Nigeria. Its existence almost relegated the existence of hotels, motels, guest houses, night clubs and eateries.
However, in the global scene, tourism is big business. It is arguably one of the most important industries in the world, employing several millions of people around the world. For instance, according to the World Tourist Organization, in 2010, the United States was ranked second amongst a league of nations with a thriving tourism industry and fascinating tourist locations. That year, the United States raked in a whopping $103.5 billion in revenue.
In fact, a lot of economies are dependent on tourism. Almost all Caribbean countries, Egypt, Greece, Spain, Malaysia, France and even the United states look to tourism to generate a relevant portion of their revenue. As at 2010, the tourism industry was contributing about 5% to the World Gross Domestic Product.
In Nigeria however, as with almost all other industries beside oil, the tourism sector has potentials that are yet untapped. The sector has been living far below its capacity and has been minimally utilised by the federal government to create a buoyant economy. At the State level, Cross-River, Lagos and a few other states have tried to revive the tourism industry. On the whole, undoubtedly, more success can be recorded.
This industry is solely a service enterprise and hence, depends largely on amenities that Nigeria is lacking. The overly erratic electricity supply, inefficient transportation system and unpredictable airline operations especially as regards local flights and the varying troubles plaguing Nigeria have hampered the wealth creating ability of this industry.
With a variety of attractions sitting pretty on many locations in Nigeria and with climatic conditions suitable for holidaying, the most populous country in Africa can generate revenue in streams that run deep from tourism. Alas, the prevalent insecurity, deficient social amenities and unfavourable policies can quench the thirst for exoticism, adventure or even foreign investment in this sector. A potential tourist would likely renege as soon as he understands the challenges she would be confronted with.
Tourism and policies
Oftentimes, people complain aggrievedly about the unfavourable policies and the lack of an enabling environment for business to thrive. The issue of multiple-taxation is also part of discourse on the difficulties in running a business in Nigeria.
In the second week in February, the acting Inspector General of the Police force, Mohammed Abubakar, and the National Tourism Development Commission directed all proprietors and operators of hospitality centres to duly register with the corporation or be deemed to be operating illegally and as such culpable of facing prosecution.
A statement by the Director-General of NTDC, Chief Olusegun Runsewe, said, “Following security threats by the Boko Haram in some parts of the country, the NTDC has decided to take proactive measures to provide safety for Nigerians, foreigners and tourists.”
Chief Runsewe said that owners of hotels, motels, guest houses, night clubs and eateries would be given a thirty day ultimatum to register with the corporation at the end of which the companies will be shut down.
In addition, he directed all business in the hospitality industry to give details of the profile of their staff, including their nationalities, for necessary checks by the security agencies.
Chief Runsewe said that the directive is to curb illegal activities –“We are aware that those involved in these illegal activities are the people that are not ready to comply with the law of the land.
“The identity of every staff in the industry is required. There are reasons to suspect that many illegal aliens are engaged in the hospitality business in Nigeria at the detriment of qualified and able-bodied Nigerians.
“As a result of the importance of the tourism industry, there is the need for security agencies to have an inventory of all tourism enterprises in the country, for effective monitoring in the interest of security and stability. We cannot afford to allow our hospitality enterprises to be used as dens for crime and criminalities.
“The corporation is, by law, empowered to register all hotels and other hospitality enterprises to provide a comprehensive data-base for effecting the necessary regulation in the industry,” the statement read.
In reaction to the NTDC direction, owners and managers of the hotels say that they do not have a problem with registering their businesses with the commission.
A consultant and specialist in hotel management and the organiser of the Lagos Hotel General Managers Association, Trevor Ward, said, “This is not a new law; the law has always been in place.”
However, he said that what the commission was now trying to do is enforce the law. Mr. Ward like many hotel managers think that registering of hotel should not be the only priority of the commission. “The hotels have to generate their own infrastructure, including water; the hotels run on generators,” he said, adding that while these problems are not peculiar to the hospitality industry, it definitely should be addressed.
Horst Jost, the general manager of corporate hotel –La Cour, agreed with Mr. Ward. He opined that it is not a problem to register a hotel although it seemed like putting the cart before the horse. He also had concerns about what the commission will charge to have the businesses registered. “We don’t get supply of water, there is erratic electricity and these are basic amenities. Everything is in shamble. In my mind, all the necessary amenities should be given by the government before the start asking for fees for registration,” Mr. Jost said.
However, stakeholders and hoteliers hope that the Nigerian Tourism development Commission’s direction will enable a reliable database of all hotels operating in Nigeria. They hope that through this the relevant security agencies would provide necessary surveillance on hotels and other tourist destinations.
