INTERNATIONAL TOURISM TO END 2023 CLOSE TO 90% OF PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS

International tourism is on track to recover almost 90% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of this year. According to the latest data from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), an estimated 975 million tourists travelled internationally between January and September 2023, an increase of 38% on the same months of 2022.

The newest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer also shows:

World destinations welcomed 22% more international tourists in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year, reflecting a strong Northern Hemisphere summer season.

International tourist arrivals hit 91% of pre-pandemic levels in the third quarter, reaching 92% in July, the best month so far since the start of pandemic.

Overall, tourism recovered 87% of pre-pandemic levels in January-September 2023. That puts the sector on course to recover almost 90% by the end of the year.

International tourism receipts could reach USD 1.4 trillion in 2023, about 93% of the USD 1.5 trillion earned by destinations in 2019.

The latest UNWTO data shows that international tourism has almost completely recovered from the unprecedented crisis of COVID-19 with many destinations reaching or even exceeding pre-pandemic arrivals and receipts

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: "The latest UNWTO data shows that international tourism has almost completely recovered from the unprecedented crisis of COVID-19 with many destinations reaching or even exceeding pre-pandemic arrivals and receipts. This is critical for destinations, businesses, and communities where the sector is a major lifeline. "

The Middle East, Europe and Africa lead recovery

The Middle East continues to lead the recovery by regions in relative terms, with arrivals 20% above pre-pandemic levels in the nine months through September 2023. The Middle East remains the only world region to surpass 2019 levels this period. Visa facilitation measures, the development of new destinations, investments in new tourism-related projects and the hosting of large events, help underpin this remarkable performance.

Europe, the world's largest destination region, welcomed 550 million international tourists over the period, 56% of the global total. That represents 94% of pre-pandemic levels. The rebound was supported by robust intra-regional demand as well as strong demand from the United States.

Africa recovered 92% of pre-pandemic visitors this nine-month period, and arrivals in the Americas reached 88% of 2019 numbers this period, as the region benefitted from strong US demand, in particular to Caribbean destinations.

Asia and the Pacific reached 62% of pre-pandemic levels this period due to slower reopening to international travel. However, performance among subregions is mixed, with South Asia recovering

 95% of pre-pandemic levels but North-East Asia only about 50%.

The World Tourism Barometer includes more focused data on regions, as well as sub-regions and individual destinations.

Tourism spending strong

Strong demand for outbound travel was reported by several large source markets this period, with many exceeding 2019 levels. Germany and the United States spent 13% and 11% more respectively on outbound travel than in the same nine months of 2019, while Italy spent 16% more through August.

The sustained recovery is also reflected in the performance of industry indicators. Drawing on data from IATA (the International Air Transport Association) and STR, the UNWTO Tourism Recovery Tracker details a strong recovery in air passenger numbers and tourist accommodation occupancy levels.

Against this backdrop, international tourism is well on track to fully recover pre-pandemic levels in 2024 despite economic challenges such as high inflation and weaker global output, as well as important geopolitical tensions and conflicts.

More effort needed for Tourism development in Nigeria

##throwback More need to be done for tourism to thrive in Nigeria.

If you are looking for magnificent scenery such as those that can only be imagined or seen on travel magazines or wildlife populated by rare species, a rich avifauna, a fascinating botany and most importantly, a real physical challenge against nature, Sukur Kingdom may be just what you are looking for.

Stuck far away atop one of the highest plains on Mandara Mountains in Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State in northeastern Nigeria, the Sukur Kingdom is something to behold. It is the first Nigerian landmark to be listed on the World Heritage Sites, while Osun Osogbo Grove made the list later in 2005.

The cultural landscape with its palace, terraced fields with ritual features and villages whose unchanged settings have survived for many centuries will engaged your strong leisure spirit. These are the features that hyped and made the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to notice and granted World Heritage Status (WHS) to the site in 1999.

The site is among the over 1, 300 sites, including historic buildings, archaeological sites as well as works of “monumental sculpture or painting” have been granted WHS status across the globe.

But it is regrettable that as outstanding as the site is, it is so neglected and unvisited till date.

Despite the fact that making it into the WHS list is a tough job; the host nation is expected to file a dossier spelling out, among others, the “outstanding universal value” of the prospective site as well as a comprehensive plan of how the WHS will be managed in the event that it became one.

Also, a national legislation is usually supposed to back relevant contents of the dossier.

This year, 2014, marks 15 years since Sukur Kingdom was designated a World Heritage Site. Sadly, since over a decade and half now, the Nigerian delegation (which included Boni Haruna, the then Governor of Adamawa State, top federal politicians, and the Nigerian Commission for Museums and Monuments ‘NCMM’ technocrats) to the UNESCO conference in the Moroccan resort city of Marrakech where it was designated WHS in 1999, seem to have forgotten the promise they made and effort at improving and sustaining the WHS status of the Sukur.

Surprisingly, this Africa’s trailblazer in the “Cultural Landscape” category has not been formally launched by Nigerian authorities. The launch is necessary to usher in management, maintenance and promotions that will attract the world to visit and spend their money in the locality.

As it stands, the breathtaking landscape may not be officially commissioned in years to come as a joint management committee supposed to work towards the launch as well as other matters relating to proper maintenance of this WHS has not yet been formed. The joint management committee’s composition is supposed to include representatives of the NCMM, Adamawa State authorities, Madagali LGA council, the indigenous community, among others.

Of course, less will be achieved in the towering ambition of boosting Nigeria’s tourist arrival with more visits to this somewhat virgin locality, without constituting the joint management committee.

The worse, according to Yaji Ambu, a culture enthusiast and lawyer from Yola, is that the NCMM whose responsibility it is to care for the site is pursuing shadows. “If up till now, the generating set bought with grant sent by UNESCO to lit up the village and the site is not yet installed then when will it work,” he queries. The situation, according to him, questions what the NCMM is doing with UNESCO grants meant for the development and maintenance of Sukur.

In February 2008, a possible inauguration planned for Sukur Tourist Haven, Rugudum was aborted because of lack of political will, while again in 2009 a similar attempt was nipped at the bud because Jibrin Gada, the then minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, did not show up.

These unsuccessful attempts query the calibre, qualification and commitment of these government personnel at delivering the tourism mandate placed on their care.

It also calls for more participation of the private sector as Olubode Martins, a tourism practitioner, notes that government grip on tourism is bane of tourism development in the country. “Go and learn how South Africa churns out dollars from its World Heritage Sites. They contract out its management, promotion, maintenance to the private sector that has competence on such issues,” he discloses.

In defense of government bureaucracy that has held down the site from making marks, Joseph Eboreime, one time director general of NCMM, says that comfortable relaxation spots will have to be thrown in, and the guesthouse under construction in Sukur Kingdom by Nigeria’s NCMM’ authorities completed before this WHS could be formally opened. But since his retirement in 2009, the site is still as it was when the comments were fresh, some stakeholders in the tourism industry argue.

More also, it takes an average of two hours to climb the 3,040 feet above sea level to get atop Sukur Kingdom. The towering height and the stress of climbing call for infrastructure like lift. But no electricity yet to power any climbing facilities as the locality is yet to be electrified.

The worse hit is the Sukur community. The expected revenue from tourists that will be used to bring modernity to the kingdom is nowhere. Social infrastructure, especially electricity, is still a promise, while educational and health facilities a joke.

It is no longer images but realities of neglect everywhere in Sukur. And abandoning this site to rot, considering the trouble, the time, money and energy the country exerted in getting it enlisted into UNESCO WHS list, every hand should be on deck to get things rolling for tourists to flow in their millions.

But if the situation persists, Nigeria may not be able to push for another site to be enlisted in WHS because the country is yet to maintain the two already existing sites.

By 

Johnpaul Ezeani 

ECOWAS CHRISTMAS ROAD TRIP TOUR

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Malam Aminu Kano International Airport on Fire

Official of Malam Aminu Kano International Airport have deployed men and personnel to quench a mysterious fire that gutted its fuel drop Wednesday morning.

Malam Aminu Kano International Airport fuel drop is located within the striking distance of domestic arrival hall adjacent vast space that housed corner shops.

An eyewitness who gave her name as Hajiya Bintu told Vanguard that the fire started around 7.45am forcing dwellers to flee.

The account said that " the fire has raged for twenty minutes now and as I speak to you fire service personnel have deployed enough tanks to contained the emergency".

Airport officials are keeping mum over the incident as concerted effort are been sustained to contain the fire.

ENCOURAGING THE GROWTH OF DOMESTIC TOURISM: A VISIT TO NATIONAL WAR MUSEUM, OJUKWU BUNKER UMUAHIA & SONGHAI FARM CUM EZEAGU CAVE AND WATERFALL WITH FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC ADO EKITI, DEPARTMENT OF URBAN & REGIONAL PLANNING

It was a long week of touring some eastern part of Nigeria. The students of Department of Urban and Regional Planning, federal polytechnic Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State visited the Coal City (Enugu) and God’s own (Abia) state, to see for themselves what they are been taught in the class room which is all about tourism development and planning.  The students were happy as their first visit was at the national war museum Umuahia. They were taken around the museum gallery and war equipment's which was used during the Biafra war, as the students were asking questions on why the federal government established the museum, they were told that it was to preserve the equipment's and as well to educate the young generations that didn’t know what caused the war and how the people suffered during the war, they were also told that all the armored cars and guns used during the Biafra war was locally produced in 90 days  by Biafra engineers. During the tour, the student was taken to voice of Biafra bunker where they saw the radio house of Biafra, the transmitting equipment both mobile one and stationary one, they were also shown the Biafra red devil armored cars of various types, the popular ogbungwe , the war planes of various types, war ships and biafran fuel refinery cooking pot. See pictures below

entering the museum gallery

Biafra red devil type A5

Biafra Fuel Refinery/ Cooking Pot

Red devil type A4

Ogbunigwe

Warship

Entering the warship

From the National War Museum the tour took us to the Ojukwu Bunker, which was known as Biafra State House. The bunker was originally called the “Subterranean” office of the government of Biafra. After the war it was renamed the Ojukwu Bunker by the members of the public. It was built within 90 days from April to June and is 26.9 feet deep. It consists of a parlor, secretary’s room, kitchen, bathroom and store. The bunker is accessed through Dr Michael Okpara’s house. The bunker proper is in Dr Okpara’s Compound.

The plan of the bunker was drawn on 3^rd April 19868 by Frank Mbanefo Associates, Chief Frank Mbanefo is from Onitsha town in Anambra State. The Structural design of the bunker was done by Agbim and partners. Dr Chuba Agbim is from Amafun village in Nimo, Anambra state. The builder was Engr Joel Onyemelukwe from Nnewi Iche, Nnewi Anambra State. The Superintendent who handled the workers was late Mr Lawrence O. Okany from Ogidi Anambra State.

The bunker was used for receiving very important visitors, air shelter, relaxation area and for secret meetings.  Other bunkers that was built by Engr Joel Onyemelukwe and his team are

1.      Voice of Biafra Bunker at Ugwunchara which is at the war museum Umuahia

2.      Small bunker at the resident’s house Aba

3.      Fuel/ diesel/ kerosene depot at ogbor hill Aba

After touring and seeing for themselves what people in the early 60’s was able to produce with our local materials, they asked why can’t we do same this time? Then before heading back to coal city for our next day tour, we went to the museum kitchen to have the taste of the local delicacy. See pictures at the Ojukwu Bunker

Heading to Ojukwu Bunker

Climbing the escape entrance inside the bunker

In front of Biafra State House 

In coal city (Enugu) State, our first visit was at the Songhai farm. The Songhai farm is an initiative of the Enugu State Government during the last administration. The farm has various sections ranging from Fishery, piggery, rice farming, pottery, cash crops and others. At the farm the students were taken around various sections of the farm, though they were not able to tour the whole farm because they all got tired, but to the students greatest surprise was when they saw pigs that is of human size it was all fun as they spend so much time watching and taken pictures, the next stop was at fish section where some of them took time to feed the fish and as well ask questions on how they get the feeds for the fish, the marking strategy they use to sale the fish, at the end some of the students decided that they will go into fishery, while one of their lectures asked me why can Governors from other states visit this place to learn and get some ideas and I asked him don’t you people have this kind farm in your state, he said no that they have lands where such project can be sited. The two lecturers that came with the students said that they will encourage the directors that is in charge of entrepreneurship to visit Songhai farm to learn the techniques that is been applied in growing various crops. The farm has more than 1000 acres of land see pictures

Songhai fish Pound 

Songhai Farm Enugu

From the Songhai farm we head to Ihuezi Obunaofia Ndionu cave, the site which is referred to as Ezeagu Tourism Complex because of its cluster of attractions, which is cave, waterfall and a lake.  The cave is known as Ihuezi Cave, before we get to the site, it has started raining but the students and lecturers insisted that we should continue, and then we head to the cave. At the cave mouth which is called Onu Ogba where the chief priest stays, the rules guiding the cave was read to the students. At the onu ogba the rain kept on increasing, when we got to the cave, it was a WOW!  To the students because they could not believe what they saw, they were asked to remove their shoes before entering the cave which they did and they explored the cave to the level where it has a staircase inside the cave. They were so happy to have visited the cave, as one of the lecturer said that he always watch the documentary about the cave on television.  

Inside the Ihuezi Cave, 

heading to where the cave has a staircase

In front of the Ihuezi Cave Ezeagu

Moving on, the rain kept increasing by the minute the student’s major interest was to experience the wonders of nature, as we got to the waterfall…..it was really fun for them, the girls said visiting the waterfall was the best part of the tour for them, they didn’t waste time to soak themselves inside the water not minding that it was raining so heavily, even one of their lecturer joined the students to have the feel of the waterfall, they stayed their more than 2 hours, they were begged before they could come out from the waterfall, all of them feel refreshed and happy.

On our way going back Enugu, we stopped at MAMA ONYINYE SHOP where they sell best palm wine known as (Udi palm wine), bush meat and Abacha. We ordered for 3 big bottles of palm wine and five plates of bush meat, everybody ate as one family.  When we got to Enugu the students were told that they will be going back the next day, they started begging their lecturers for them to spend more days before going back.

The tour was a huge success as some of the students said they will return back for more research during their final year research work.  Our tourism industry can be appreciated by outside world if can encourage our friends & relative to visit one or two tourist sites in any of the states in Nigeria.  Let us all join hands to grow our domestic tourism. Tourism a paradise to behold

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To take a trip with us contact us on ezeanij@gmail.com or 07017895370