As news of terror attacks flash almost daily on international and local news media, global tourists who are seeking to avoid terror threats are now heading to safer destinations.
The development is expected to open up and sustain the growth of destinations that were not in tourists’ radar before now. Sadly, it will impact the World Tourism Oragnisation (UNWTO) projection of almost 2 billion tourist arrivals at the end of 2016. As the world faces more terror attacks, lesser people are expected to travel, and tourism receipts and contribution to global gross domestic products are negatively affected.
For instance, Spain, Canary Islands, and Cyprus considered as safer destinations are now choice destinations for European holiday makers who used to flock Tunisia and Egypt before terror attack that claimed the lives of 38 tourists. Tunisia, Egypt among other countries with travel restrictions due to terror attacks are losing huge revenue from tourism and commerce as would-be visitors, spend their dollar in peaceful destinations.
As well, The Gambia is once again wooing more European holiday makers as the small country, though predominantly Muslims, is considered as safest in Africa. While Ghana is considered more peaceful than Nigeria, the West African country is yet to attract more foreign tourists because of lack of tourism infrastructure and presumed closeness to Nigeria, where Boko Haram Islamic sects, once ravaged communities in north eastern region.
Kenya, which used to attract lots of Americans on safari holiday is losing out on the frequent terror attack by the Al Shabab Islamist militants, instead the more peaceful Rwanda, and Tanzania are considered by tourists, while Ethiopia woos with its modern infrastructure and best air connectivity across Africa and beyond.
South Africa with its world-class infrastructure is prime destination for many foreigners, but the frequency of violence, especially xenophobia, scares most African tourists from visiting and restricts non African visitors to cities with maximum security.
For Ikechi Uko, CEO, Akwaaba African Travel Market, Africans can generate huge revenue from travelling within, especially now that safety is core to choosing holiday destinations across the world today.
To attract the global tourists in most safe destinations in Africa, Uko noted that security and infrastructure deficit must be addressed because tourists are leaving their comfort zone and should be accorded some comfort as well. World-class airports, good hotels, well-packaged products and tours, improved service culture, easy movement within are among things needed to woo tourists to African countries regarded as safer destinations.
According to Mike Anah, travel expert, the development would have helped most African destinations where there is relative peace, but the reverse is the case because most of them have not made efforts at improving on their tourism and hospitality offerings.
“Yes, tourists are looking for peaceful destinations to spend their money, but the destinations must have offerings and facilities that are worth the money they are spending no matter how small the money is”, Anah said.
While Africa is the next frontier for global tourists, Oyemade Salako, a travel agent, noted that the continent would have been destination option for global tourists in the wake of terrorism, but Africans have not made good efforts at repackaging and selling the continent as choice holiday destination to the world, especially Nigeria with vast tourism potential that is untapped.
“Most Europeans need to visit to see a different Africa far from the dark pictures their colonial ancestors painted, but they need someone to sell the countries beyond the draught, hunger, wars and crimes that are always reported about the continent even by local media. Nigeria is being portrayed in bad light by other African countries and you do not expect a Nigerian to say nice things about such countries. So, we keep losing those who even want to risk travel warnings to visit the country”, Salako said.
However, what African countries, (especially Nigeria now that oil revenue has dwindled) need to do to woo global tourists include; improvement on security, repackaging their tourism products to international appeal, seamless visa, build modern infrastructure such as airports, hotels, shopping malls, convention centres among others.
OBINNA EMELIKE
