Charles Ajunwa
The Co-founder of Diamond and Pearl Travels, Mrs. Wonuola Olatunde-Lamidi, has called on Nigerians to take ownership of tourism assets and endowments domiciled in their communities, saying this is the only way to protect these assets and make them economically viable for the communities.
Olatunde-Lamidi, who made this call as one of the panelists at the BusinessDay Tourism Conference held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos, 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.”
She explained 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.
Keynote Speaker, Managing Director of Del-York Development Company, Stella Fubara, emphasised on tourism sector’s tremendous potential using Dubai as a case study.
She explained that while Nigeria’s tourism sector currently contributes less than four per cent to Gross Domestic Product (GDP), compared to Kenya’s nine per cent and Morocco’s 12 per cent, she viewed this as significant room for growth rather than a limitation.
According to her, the federal government targets a $1 trillion economy by 2030. She implored stakeholders to see tourism as a critical engine ready for acceleration.
Apart from showcasing the opportunities within Nigeria, she challenged tourism practitioners to transform inconsistent service delivery into standardised excellence, developing infrastructure gaps into competitive advantages, and building international marketing presence rather than viewing these as obstacles.
The tourism conference brought together over 200 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 enters the second half of 2025.
It also drew support from multiple sponsors including hospitality companies that created a dynamic platform for tourism lovers and industry professionals to share insights, forge connections, and explore collaborative solutions.
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