Blog

By Taiye Olayemi

The President of Travelogue Communications Ltd,Mr Ayo Omotosho, says local communities must begin to benefit optimally from the exploration of their tourism potential.

Omotosho spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, in Lagos.

He said that tourism was a tool that could be used to drive revenue inflow as well as increase employment creation, among others.

The tourism expert said there was the need to create more awareness on such opportunities, which the upcoming Destination Tourism Show would aim to achieve.

Omotosho said that the show, holding in Lagos, with the theme, “Celebrating Diversity in Tourism and Hospitality”, was the fifth edition of such.

He said that the programme, slated for Nov. 29 and Nov. 30, would help to promote community-based tourism through the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas in Lagos State.

According to him, the programme would feature Lagos Local Government Tourism Market, (LLGTM) with a roadshow to communities, giving those communities visibility.

“The 5th Destination Tourism show holds from 29th to 30th November 2023 at Freedom Park and Eko Hotels respectively.

“This year’s destination tourism show will have a special focus on community-based tourism, tourism officers from each of the local government area in Lagos will expose the tourism potential within their local government to the public.

“This will give room for proper education on tourism and in the long run, help to market those potential for improved wealth creation.

“This is to add tourism values and sensitise both the state and local authorities in Lagos State to increase the capacity of local governments to generate and earn tourism revenue.

“The roadshow on community-based tourism will provide an opportunity for business to busines (B2B) and a showcase of handicrafts, including a tantalising journey through local cuisines,” he said.

Omotosho noted that through the roadshow, the needed education would be created.

He said this would also create more employment opportunities for the youths in the local communities by way of opening windows of development for tourism assets and infrastructure in the local government.

Omotosho said to encourage others to do more, those who had done well in tourism, culture travel trade and allied services would be recognised on the second day of the programme.

He said these would include local government chairmen who supported community-based tourism development in their various communities in Lagos.

The tourism expert said the event would enrich the participants, particularly the conference session which would be an eye-opener and help in attracting investors

“Tourism opens minds to unlimited opportunities and there are lots of tourism business opportunities in the local communities,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

By Taiye Olayemi

The African Art Awakening Forum (AAA) on Wednesday educated no fewer than 150 students of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) and others on the application of innovative digital tools in arts.

Mr Raphael O’Que-Guale, President, AAA, during the workshop held at YABATECH, expressed his commitment to enabling students explore the boundless possibilities that technology could offer in advancing the arts industry.

The workshop had the theme: “Digital Empowerment: Leveraging Technology For African Art”.

O’Que-Guale, represented by Mrs Florence Onochie, an artist, said that after the  workshop some of the students would be engaged in an art contest.

According to him, the overall winner will  be given a return ticket to Canada, while the first-runner-up will be compensated with N100,000 and  second-runner-up will be given professional art supplies worth N50,000.

“At this age of rapid technological advancement, the fusion of arts and technology can be a powerful catalyst for transformative change, providing new avenues for expression, promotion, and distribution of our rich artistic heritage.

“As we embark on these three days of insightful discussions, immersive workshops and the celebration of artistic brilliance through our art contest, let us embrace the spirit of collaboration and exploration.

“The African Art Awakening Forum is not just a conference, it is a dynamic platform for dialogue, exchange and most importantly, inspiration.

“Our agenda is to stimulate your minds, ignite your creativity and foster meaningful connections,” he said.

Dr John Adenle of the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, University of Lagos, enlightened the students on the essence of engaging digital tools for arts.

“Digital tools enable artists to combine various elements, such as animation, sculpture, photography and painting to develop new art forms.

“Digital art breaks boundaries through interactive installations as well. Sensors and other technologies allow viewers to take part in artwork from digital artists,” he said.

Also speaking, Dr Kunle Adeyemi, Director, International Quality Assurance, YABATECH, highlighted the importance of digital image manipulation; digital media techniques; digital printmaking; digital computer and printing; artificial intelligence and art generators.

According to Adeyemi, digital technologies has explored some of the ways in which computers are useful tools for the artist.

He noted that this was not only in terms of the preliminary development of artworks that were realised in other media, but also in the creation of autonomous digital artworks.

He said: “It is a known fact that artists are more commonly originating work on the computer or scanning drawings, paintings, print works or photographs and working on them digitally.

“It has become easier to create black and white line artwork on film or black-and-white, halftone, photographic colour separations on films to make stencils for screen printing or plates and blocks for other methods of printmaking.

“With the development of the digital media, which makes possible the manipulation of slides, prints, digital photographs, much in the way, a painting is developed and modified by using computer software.

“It can then be easily said that photography has moved closer to painting and the boundaries in all the genres of art are coming closer to each other by the day.”

An Impressionistic Painter, Dr Peacemaker Alexandra, took the students through the digital techniques in painting as he advised them on the need to embrace digital technology.

He said it was outrightly possible to do installation art work digitally.

“Digital art has come to stay, so, digital empowerment is important, you need to think more on digitising your works,” he said. (NAN) (nannews.ng)

By Taiye Olayemi

Tour  operators say the crave for leisure and recreation by  Nigerians  is fast  diminishing owing to rising cost of living .

Some of the operators ,in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday , also expressed concern about poor patronage owing  to the development .

Nigerians, globally recognised  as fun lovers , now have to  consider survival over other things as the cost of living continues to soar.

Tour operators are professionals who package  tours to local and international tourist sites.

The tour operators ,who spoke to  NAN, attributed the cause of the  low patronage to high cost of air and road travels,  resulting from  fuel price hike.

Mr Jibola Oluseye, Chief Executive Officer, iTravels and Tours ,said business had not been good since the beginning of 2023.

Oluseye said he had  only  packaged two tours in  2023, just two fewer than the four tours he packaged in 2022.

According to him ,business was better before the  increase in fuel pump price  and  COVID-19 pandemic.

He said he had also observed that many Nigerians were now  relocating abroad to live temporarily or permanently owing to the economic situation in the country.

Oluseye noted that to continue to be  in business, he had to create beach camping activities for his clients, because it is less expensive unlike lodging in  hotels.

“Since the beginning of 2023, rate of travels has dropped, people now take interest in traveling abroad than exploring attractions within the nation.

“Change of government, elections and cash crunch,have  also affected our business drastically, but even after all these,  increase in transportation cost  is discouraging people from going for leisure.

“Surviving in the industry demands being creative, engaging in collaborations and having prior knowledge of the facilities an intending visitor is to be lodged,” he said.

Oluseye urged hoteliers and other service providers in the hospitality value chain to desist from marketing products visitors would not eventually gain access to.

He said this had been a problematic issue,affecting  trust  between tour operators  and their clients.

“Service providers in the hospitality industry are not helping us, like hotels.

“They advertise certain services ,but at the end of the day, visitors don’t gain access to such services, projecting tour operators as liars,” he said.

Also, Mrs Maryann Onuoha, Chief Executive Officer of Bella Maria Travels and Tours, noted that Nigerians now travel more for educational and relocation purposes as traveling for leisure drops.

Onuoha said this development had been observed since post COVID-19 era ,but had become more pronounced  since the beginning of 2023.

She blamed the development on increase in price of   air ticket,and difficulty in accessing forex by travellers.

“Travels have taken a different dimension. Before now, many people  always travelled for leisure easily as air tickets and visas were cheaper and affordable.

“Before COVID-19, tickets to Dubai could be as low as N200,000 and it was common to see a family of five or more to  travel for leisure.

“But  after COVID-19, Nigerians coming to me are only coming for relocation and educational purposes to Canada, U.S. and  others

“Now, tickets to western nations cost as high as N800,000 and more, depending on the location.

“Indeed tourism for leisure, events and conferencing have been low, Nigerians now survival over other things,including leisure.

“Before now, I  used to package over 100 tours in a year, but now, I can hardly boast of 10 in a year,” she said.

Mr Olamilekan Omotosho, Founder of Omotosho Travels and Tours in Kwara , who specialises in marketing tourist sites in  the state ,said he had opted to work as a tour guide owing to low patronage.

He said hike in the price of fuel seriously impacted his business as it had significantly increased transportation cost to the  tourist sites in the state.

“People  run away  on hearing the cost of travelling  to those sites”,he said.

He ,however, urged government at different levels to work assiduously to improve the economy to ease the sufferings of the masses as leisure should be a way of life and not a  luxury.

“Owu Waterfalls is over four  hours drive from Ilorin, also the ancient museum is equally far, people are discouraged from  visiting these attractions due to high cost of transportation .

“The last tour I packaged after a long time was on Sept. 20. People are also discouraged because of insecurity and poor basic amenities in most tourist destinations” he said. (NAN) (nannews.ng).