Travel/Tourism
Nigeria Needs Strong Domestic Market for Tourism—Coker

By Dipo Olowookere
Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mr Folarin Coker, has advised Nigeria to have a strong domestic market for international tourism market to grow, describing domestic tourism as the only form of sustainable tourism.
Speaking at the just concluded Nigerian Hospitality and Tourism Conference organised by Jumia Travel, the leading online travel agency, Mr Coker said, “The bedrock of tourism is not the big footprint of foreign brands but rather, the many cottage industries manned by passionate indigenes.
“That is what allows tourism be the largest employer of labour in the world, even over the oil industry.”
At the event held in Lagos with the theme “Maximizing the Potentials of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry: The Role of the Government,” the NTDC boss said all must be done to have a formidable domestic tourism industry. According to him, his agency has been trying hard to make this happen.
Also speaking at the conference, Managing Director of Jumia Travel Nigeria, Omolara Adagunodo, stated some of the laudable initiatives the online travel agency has embarked on as part of efforts geared towards promoting travel and tourism within the country.
According to her, at the time the company was entering the market some 5 years ago, it was noticed that data on the travel industry was not available. The company therefore took it upon itself to invest in the production of such data every year.
“In the last five years of our existence as a company, we have been involved in notable endeavours that sought to move the industry forward. One of the very first things we noticed at a time was the lack of data in the travel industry.
“As you all know, data is indeed crucial to the planning and development of any sector. So, we took it upon ourselves to invest in the production of a report on the Nigerian hospitality industry. We produce this report yearly in every African country we have our operation,”Adaogunodo said.
The conference had two panel discussions with relevant travel practitioners as panellists. The theme “Using New Media to Merchandise Major Nigerian Sites, Destinations & Places to Drive Tourists Footfall” was discussed by Chiamaka Obuekwe, founder of Social Prefect Tours; Funmi Oyatogun, founder of TVP Adventures; Wonu Lamidi, CEO of Diamond & Pearl Tours; Lola Daniyan, Founder of Unravelling Nigeria; and Michael Balogun, Founder of Tour2Nigeria.
“Managing Current Hotel Trends to Anticipate Future Customers’ Needs” was the theme of the second panel discussion which had Damilola Koya of Eko Hotel & Suites; Anthony Shisler of Fahrenheit; Omolara Adagunodo of Jumia Travel; Jeff Fischer of Welcome Centre Hotels; and Paul Okojie of Golden Tulip.
The Nigerian Hospitality and Tourism Conference is a yearly event being organised by Jumia Travel Nigeria. Its objective is to bring the key players in the industry together to share knowledge and information with the growing circle of travel and tourism enthusiasts in the country. It’s a free to attend event.
Travel/Tourism
UAE Bans Transit Visas for Nigerians in Fresh Travel Restrictions

By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Nigerian passengers have been slapped with fresh travel restrictions by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with the Middle-East nation banning transit visas for Nigerians.
In the new stringent travel conditions introduced by the UAE, it was disclosed that transit visa applications would no longer be processed for Nigerian nationals.
Further, Nigerians aged 18 to 45 years are ineligible for tourist visas if travelling alone, while those above 45 years must provide a personal bank statement from a Nigerian bank for the last six months, each month’s statement must show an ending balance of at least $10,000 or its Naira equivalent, and all existing requirements such as hotel reservations and passport data pages must still be submitted with applications.
“For Nigeria nationals, please bear in mind that an applicant aged 18 to 45 years travelling alone is not eligible for tourist visa category.
“An applicant who is 45 years or above must provide a single Nigerian personal bank statement for a period of last six months, with each month’s end balance reflecting a minimum ending balance of $10,000 or its Naira equivalent.
“Kindly note that the above points must be taken into consideration before sending your applications with other existing documents such as hotel reservation, data page, etc,” the new requirements communicated to Nigerian travel agents on Tuesday stated.
Nigerians have found Dubai in the UAE as a tourist destination. It is also used for business transactions like the purchase of luxury items like gold and others.
Recall that last year, the UAE authorities lifted a travel ban on Nigerian passport holders after two years.
Travel/Tourism
US Reduces Nigeria’s Non-Immigrant Visa Validity Period

By Adedapo Adesanya
The United States government has announced that most Nigerians applying for non-immigrant visas will now only get single-entry three-month visas.
The US Mission in Nigeria said this was to reciprocate Nigeria’s visa policy for Americans.
“Effective today, most non-immigrant and non-official visas for Nigerian citizens will be single-entry with 3-month validity.” the embassy stated in a press statement on Tuesday. Prior to this, it was up to five years.
It gave the criteria that must be met to see changes to include: secure travel documents with verified traveler identities, implementing measures to limit overstays by travelers on US visas, and sharing relevant security and/or criminal record information to protect public safety.
“We commend the ongoing efforts by the government of Nigeria’s immigration and security agencies to meet standards of international best practices,” it said, adding that, “We continue to engage with Nigerian government officials to address the remaining challenges.”
The US encouraged Nigerian travelers to respect and adhere to the terms of their visas, and ensure travel documents are authentic, accurate, and up to date.
“The United States remains a committed partner in deepening people-to-people ties with Nigeria via business, educational, and cultural exchanges. We look forward to continued cooperation at all levels with the Nigerian public and government officials to ensure safe and lawful travel between the United States and all countries,” it added.
This comes after it was earlier reported that Nigeria alongside some other countries could face restrictions under President Donald Trump’s policy to cut down on immigration.
Travel/Tourism
FAAN to Increase Airport Tariffs, Adopt Contactless Payment System

By Adedapo Adesanya
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has announced plans to increase tariffs across all its airports to allow for utilisation of its operations for profitability.
The announcement was made during the Directorate of Commercial and Business Development (DCBD) Stakeholders Engagement Forum held Monday in Lagos.
According to FAAN’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, Mrs Adebola Joy Agunbiade, the agency will also implement a complete transition to automated and contactless payment systems.
She said the authority currently generates 92 per cent of its revenue from aeronautical sources, with only eight per cent coming from non-aeronautical activities which contrasts with developed countries where non-aeronautical sources typically account for over 40 per cent of airport revenue.
Mrs Agunbiade assured stakeholders and service providers that they would receive adequate notice before tariff implementations.
“We have to find the means to review our tariff in such a way that it’s not too much on you but it’s also helping us to pay our bills,” she said.
Also speaking, FAAN’s Managing Director, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, emphasised the authority’s commitment to eliminating cash transactions across all airport payment points. She said the new system will feature cards that enable tap-and-go payments.
“All payment will soon be made online using our cards. It is an airport card. You tap and go. It is a very seamless and straightforward process,” she said.
The pilot programme has already begun in Lagos, with plans for rollout across other airports. The system will include ECR devices for terminal payments and automated parking and tollgate facilities.
“Automation makes it easier for you to track your payment. We’re going cashless and contactless payment. So it is easier and faster,” Mrs Kuku stated.
According to her, FAAN reported generating N2 billion from below the line platforms alone last year, and with could see a higher revenue this year.
The authority also said it is restructuring lease agreements following legal reviews to create more workable terms for service providers.
Mrs Kuku noted that substantial investments have been made in infrastructure upgrades and automation systems and that revenue improvements will directly benefit passenger services and airport operations.
FAAN also issued warnings over unauthorised activities at airports with the FAAN official saying that licenses would be revoked for car hire services and Bureau de Change operators engaging in lout activities.
Additionally, FAAN has issued orders to remove tankers parked along Lagos airport access roads, citing security risks and environmental concerns.
“We cannot just have businesses on the side of the road in a manner that is not organized. We will be taking very drastic actions,” Mrs Kuku said.
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