Recently, some Lagos State officials visited a number of tourist centres in the state. The visits were undertaken in the quest to boost tourism in Lagos.
According to the World Tourism Organisation, “Tourists are people who travel to and stay in places outside their usual environments for more than 24 hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited.”
Tourism can therefore be seen as a composite of activities, services and industries that delivers travel experience to individuals and groups travelling 80 kilometres or more from their homes for purposes of pleasure.
All told, it should be emphasised here that for tourism to thrive in Lagos State, infrastructure is key. And the Lagos Badagry Expressway could be a good starting point
Tourism also entails all the processes, activities, and outcomes arising from the relationships and the interactions among tourists, tourism suppliers, host governments, host communities and the surrounding environments that are involved in attracting and hosting visitors.
As a matter of fact, tourism is an important source of foreign currency for cities such as Lagos State, as it creates employment for other industries.
Over the past few years, tourism has been one of the fastest-growing sectors in Nigeria and beyond. Tourism remains a leading earner of foreign exchange for the state. Due to its many linkages to other sectors (including agriculture, manufacturing, banking and finance, wildlife, entertainment and handicraft), it has great potentials to generate employment and wealth.
Some of the tourist centres in Lagos State include but not limited to: Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC), Lekki; Elegushi Royal Beach (ERB), Lekki; the Origin Gardens and Zoo (OGZ), Ikorodu; the National Theatre, Iganmu; the National Museum, Onikan; Tarkwa Bay Beach, and of course Badagry, whose tourist potentials are so huge but sadly enough, they remain untapped since the Lagos Badagry Expressway remains under perpetual construction!
In view of the above, we believe that the Lagos State government should go beyond the mere ritual of visiting the centres to address the biting issues facing the tourism sector.
There is no denying the fact that major investment is being made in the hospitality industry throughout Nigeria, especially in Lagos State. The significance of tourism development in thus protecting both natural and man-made contexts cannot be over-estimated, especially in the preservation and protection of several historic, archaeological and cultural destinations from destruction due to its positive utilisation in such areas.
Security, obviously is a very sensitive issue in tourism and if not well handled, could deter the socio-economic benefits inherent in the sector.
The tourism potentials of a country like Nigeria are quite huge. Unfortunately, it has become a missed opportunity as a result of insecurity. The security situation of Nigeria, Lagos inclusive, continues to scare tourists away.
There is therefore the urgent need to harness the potentials of tourism in Lagos State through the provision of adequate security in order to attract tourists. Such tourists can help generate foreign exchange and also enhance the image of the state.
As it is, there is so much insecurity in the land and as such for tourism to thrive the issue of security must be addressed.
As pointed out earlier, Lagos State can always earn a lot of money from foreigners, if tourists have assurances of their safety, as they move around. For instance, if they go out to the oceans with local fishermen and stay in fishing villages, where these fishermen dwell, security as an issue will be uppermost in their minds.
It bears repetition that the state can earn quite a lot of money from tourism. This situation obtains in places like Kenya and Mauritius, where communities usually host tourists. These tourists go to these villages and share in the lives and experiences of the villagers. Invariably, a lot of money is spent in the process.
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This is why countries like Kenya and other similar social formations are promoting tourism.
Indeed, it is the second-largest foreign exchange earner of that East African country. The situation is such that, if a country lacks security, nobody will be ready to spend his/her money in places that are not safe.
Besides, there is the need for good road-networks to these tourist towns and centres. With access and link roads as well as security, tourists from diverse parts of the country and the world could visit the communities to feel the hospitality of such places.
The authorities in Lagos State can take a leaf from this recommendation with a view to promoting tourism – a state that is famed for its aquatic splendour.
For instance, it will be practically impossible to boost tourism in an admittedly scenic place like Badagry without first fixing the link road from Mile 2 to Seme border. Evidently, the Badagry express road needs attention if the tourism centres in that part of Lagos State are to function adequately. The same goes for other parts of the state where tourism centres are located.
The provision of the requisite road network will no doubt boost the socio-economic life of the people on the platform of tourism. Some years ago, many citizens had cultural fear of water and the waterways. The waterways were mainly used by fisherfolks or members of the elite clubs like the Yacht Club and Lagos Motor Boat Club.
However, the Lagos State government can put in place rules and regulations, such as the licensing of boats, insistence on the use of life jackets; a more equipped and effective marine police; the presence of organised tour boat operators such as Fiki, Tarzan, Metro Ferries, Hi Impact and Prest Cruises.
This will lead to the waterways buzzing with traffic of locals and tourists – all heading to the numerous beaches along the Lagos coastline, such as Tarkwa Bay, Ilashe, Ikare Beach, and even the Cove at Eko Atlantic City.
Moreover, there are issues revolving around the lack of funding, grants, high interest rates and so on, which deter investments in the sector by tour operators.
We believe strongly that to achieve the needed result in the tourism sector, the state government will need to partner some private sectors such as travel agencies, hotel owners, and ship owners.
Good a thing the state has already initiated some of these by engaging companies like Ajala.ng, to boost tourism.
The initiative was set up by the Lagos Ferry Services, the ministry of tourism, Arts and Culture and Ajala.ng to promote water transport so as to increase patronage of tourist destinations. This is a welcome development that will go a long way to boost tourism in the water sector.
Such a partnership will not only promote local tourism but also create the much needed awareness to commuting by the waterways and improve water transportation business in the state. All told, it should be emphasised here that for tourism to thrive in Lagos State, infrastructure is key. And the Lagos Badagry Expressway could be a good starting point. This is clearly a low-hanging fruit that will unlock the huge tourism potentials in that area of the state.
Therefore, Governor Sanwo-Olu should not let up in his attempts to complete this particular express-way leading to Badagry. If the Lagos State government should complete this particular road, then Governor Sanwo-Olu would have successfully set the state on a new trajectory of development on the platform of tourism.
