The Hospitality and Tourism Industry in Nigeria: A Missed Opportunity

Hospitality and Tourism are terms that we all know; the former referring to the friendly reception and entertainment of guests and visitors, while the latter is the act of traveling for pleasure. In Nigeria, however, the potential of this industry has yet to be fully realized. While it is a multi-billion dollar industry that is doing well globally, Nigeria is missing out on the benefits of this lucrative sector.

Developed countries now focus more on tourism as a means of creating opportunities for foreign investment, which is crucial for the growth of their economy. However, Nigeria seems to be relying too heavily on oil money and politics, and not enough on the Tourism industry, which could be a gold mine. 

Although Nigeria is referred to as the giant of Africa, it is not living up to expectations. It is only focusing on the Hospitality sector with the building of more hotels and motels without considering the need for more tourist attractions. It is essential to have more tourist attractions that can motivate more travelers, both local and international. 

Rivers State, for instance, has only a few tourist attraction sites such as the Port Harcourt pleasure Park. It is usually crowded due to the lack of other attraction sites available and pleasing enough for a visit. Other attraction sites, such as the Port Harcourt Tourist beach and the Port Harcourt zoo, have been neglected, with malnourished animals begging to be set free or killed.

Nigeria needs more collaboration from both the government and other industries to improve the Hospitality and Tourism industry. The government should encourage private bodies to get involved if they are not ready to do what is needed. We need more creative ideas, funding, and encouragement through various platforms. 

Families with the resources tend to travel out of Nigeria for vacation when they could spend their resources in Nigeria. We must realize that traveling for business purposes alone is not enough to move the Hospitality sector forward. 

China, for example, is set to stop the use of crude oil products for their cars and focus more on renewable energy by 2020. Other countries are following different paths to better the lives of their citizens, but Nigeria seems to be lagging behind.

In conclusion, the Hospitality and Tourism industry in Nigeria is a missed opportunity that needs to be harnessed. We have a lot of untapped potential that needs to be utilized to move our country forward. If we don't act now, our nation as a whole will fall into shambles in the next 5-10 years if we keep relying on crude oil, and it will be too late for us to put the clock back. It's high time we see the light through Hospitality and Tourism.