Monday, September 7, 2009

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT: THE CRITICAL ROLE OF INDIVIDUALS

Having seen the statistics and the many benefits mentioned in the previous article, how can you and I contribute to an enduring tourism industry? What should you and I do to benefit from this expected exponential growth in tourism?

While government on its’ part is putting all necessary policies and structures in place, from regulatory frame works to a virile supervisory agency and the development of critical infrastructures. The first thing you and I could do to engender tourism is to be of good behavior. Nothing makes lasting impression on the hearts and minds of tourists than the way and manner the citizens of their host country treated them.

Therefore a friendly and hospitable demeanor is essential to the success of the industry in Nigeria a friendly and helpful attitude on the part of citizens of the host country will make a lasting impression on the hearts and minds of the tourists, in most cases making them to recommend their host country to intending tourists’ (family, friends, colleague and neighbors), who may want to visit. Of course when next they want to proceed on vacation such country readily comes to mind. Therefore our conduct towards tourists is very crucial to the survival of tourism as a business.

If the government and corporate entities spend so much to establish and promote our potentials in tourism business, and the citizenry does not treat tourists kindly, worse still, out rightly being hostile, all the efforts will come to naught.

Imagine tourists being caught in a cross fire between warring Area Boys in Lagos and the Police, or imagine tourists caught in the middle of a sectarian crisis. Hardly will you expect such a tourist to have any favorable experience to recall or relate back home. Imagine a tourist that was duped or defrauded in the course of his vacation in our country, hardly will such recommend us as favorable tourism destination to family and friends back home. Worst of all, imagine when a tourist is kidnapped, that could cause a major setback to the tourism industry. That is why it is saddening, disheartening to see Policemen who are the nearest personnel of government established for the purpose of protecting lives and property extorting money from tourists and their guides/drivers without any qualms. So we all must do our very best to protect these visitors who have left family and friends behind to spend time and resources in our country. We must be of good behavior.

To be concluded.

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