Wonuola Olatunde-Lamidi, co-founder, Diamond and Pearl Travels, has called on Nigerians to take ownership of tourism assets and endowments domiciled in their communities, saying this is the only way to protect the assets and make them economically viable for the community. According to her, this philosophy demonstrates her travel company’s approach, saying Diamond and Pearls Travels sees tourism as a vehicle for community empowerment and cultural preservation.
Olatunde-Lamidi made the call as one of the panelists at the recently held Business Day Tourism Conference. She said: “We fly to Zanzibar for beaches and waterfronts that we already have in Badagry, Calabar, and other places in Nigeria. Local communities must own, protect, and profit from their beaches.”
The BusinessDay Tourism Conference held recently at the Eko Hotels and Suites brought together over 200 passionate tourism advocates, industry stakeholders, and travel enthusiasts in what proved to be an energetic launch to serious conversations about Nigeria’s tourism future as the country entered the second half of 2024.
The conference, which Diamonds and Pearls Travels was one of the sponsors, drew support from multiple sponsors including hospitality companies created a dynamic platform for tourism lovers and industry professionals to share insights, forge connections, and explore collaborative solutions.
Stella Fubara, managing director, Del-York Development Company, the keynote speaker, energized attendees with discussions about the sector’s tremendous potential using Dubai as a case study. She explained that while Nigeria’s tourism sector currently contributes less than 4 percent to GDP, compared to Kenya’s 9 percent and Morocco’s 12 percent, she viewed this as significant room for growth rather than a limitation. With the federal government targeting a $1 trillion economy by 2030, many attendees hope to see tourism as a critical engine ready for acceleration.
The conference actively showcased the opportunities within Nigeria challenges tourism practitioners to transform inconsistent service delivery into standardized excellence, developing infrastructure gaps into competitive advantages, and building international marketing presence. Rather than viewing these as obstacles.
The conference also offered opportunities for networking as private sector leaders like those from Diamonds & Pearls shared their proactive approaches. She explained to visitors during the breakout session that her company not only offers local and international travel experience to clients, but is also active in giving back to the communities the company operates in.
