Culture, panacea for economic growth —Lai Mohammad

Economists told us that we are facing the biggest economic challenge we never had for decades with an attendant of immediate and prolonged crisis of a credit crunch, economic disarray, mounting unemployment and recessionary reduction in market confidence with an indeterminate end, putting unrelenting pressure on customers, employees, markets, policies: and coupled with the long term systemic imperatives of poverty alleviation

Tourism, though resisting better than some sectors, has not been immuned. Our markets started to deteriorate in mid 2014.

Over the last few decades, our infant industry has experienced various setbacks, and faced severed natural (ebola disease) and man-made crisis (militancy, Boko Haram, kidnapping, etc). Through it all, it had demonstrated a remarkable resilience coming out stronger after the ebola disease and healthier. Resilience has become synonymous with tourism. This time is different. This crisis has truly affected travels locally and internationally and its parameters are unclear. Stake holders need a different mindset.

Travel Marketing Partners (Nig.) Ltd is proposing to the sector a new path finder for recovery of the hospitality and tourism businesses, with the following elements:

Be Realistic

The crisis is real, significant and transforming economic landscape. Stakeholders must take every action to shore up the sector’s defences, so that we can weather the storm and emerge on the other side when the good times return as they surely will.

Embrace change in markets, demand and operating dynamics

Sector stakeholders must recognise that the measures they need to take now urgently but precisely–will require unusual action because of the complex, interconnected and dynamically unfolding nature of this crisis. The operating patterns for national economies are vastly different from the past and very nature of consumerism have changed and so have the markets and also the prospects. It is time for tourism creativity, innovations and bold actions.

Harness the power of technology

As stakeholders, there are measures to gain advantage if we exploit the immense power of technology and modern communications including the internet to reduce cost, operate with new efficiencies and manage risk in an environment of uncertainty and constant change.

Boost Public / Private Partnership

Sector stakeholders can benefit by putting the tried and tested model of public / private partnership on turbo charge to navigate through the turbulence and beyond. Stakeholders need to identify global best practices economic and operational models and help embed themselves in markets around the world. And tourism stakeholders need to fight the worst practices like excessive taxation and complex regulation that increase costs and reduce the value of tourism products.

Remind our leaders and policy makers that tourism means job, infrastructure,trade and development.

The sector must reinforce its position as a primary income and job creator and again put that message firmly on the desk of the Budget & National planning,Trade and investment, finance ministers and government leaders.

Help the poorest grow tourism, fight environmental degradation and advance development

The sector must ensure that the rural areas grow their economies and feel the impact of tourism as an export product. Stake holders commitment to Nigeria must remain resolute. Growing the nation’s tourism revenues, technology, skills and financing in an increasingly dynamic environment. This is not an option. It is an imperative.

Put Tourism and Travel at the core of stimulus packages and Government s E.R.& G.P.

Tourism stakeholders must be at the heart of stimulus packages because the jobs and trade flow from a strong tourism sector as well as business and consumer confidence in tourism, can play a big part in any bounce back from recession. And here tourism stake holders must convince decision makers that spending on tourism can pay massive return across entire economies because visitors(tourism) both local and foreign are exports. History has shown overtime that the biggest challenges provide the biggest opportunities. Today, Nigerian leaders have to work together in ways that would have been unimaginable in the past, to coordinate and collaborate on the country’s economic reality.

Tourism stakeholders should rise up and send a strong message to government leaders that tourism means jobs, infrastructure, trade and development and urge them to put tourism at the core of stimulus packages and the Economic Recovery & Growth Plan.

Shola Ilupeju is the President, Travel Marketing Partners (Nig.) Ltd, Abuja.