Tourism experts push for all-year travel as Nigeria’s overdependence on December persists

The Nigerian tourism sector’s heavy dependence on December and the festive season is raising eyebrows among stakeholders. They’re concerned that this limited focus is holding back the country’s potential for year-round tourism growth and revenue.

Travel operators, consultants, and destination managers point out that Nigeria’s peak travel season, which usually spans from late November to early January, accounts for the majority of the country’s domestic and diaspora tourism activities. Unfortunately, right after the New Year, there’s a significant drop in activity, leaving resorts, cultural sites, and tour operators struggling to fill their calendars for most of the year.

Industry experts warn that this heavy reliance on a single season isn’t sustainable. They believe Nigeria could miss out on valuable chances to cultivate a stable, diverse, and inclusive tourism economy.

December tourism is largely fueled by returning diaspora visitors, year-end concerts, weddings, and lifestyle events like beach parties, cultural carnivals, and shopping festivals. Cities such as Lagos, Abuja, Calabar, and Jos see a surge in hotel bookings, short-term rentals, and local flights during this time.

However, by February, many tourism businesses start to feel the pinch, with a noticeable decline in visitors. Tour operators report a rise in cancellations, fewer inquiries, and clients tightening their budgets, with many choosing to delay their travel plans until the next festive season.

“The seasonality is so extreme that some businesses are only profitable for one month in the year,” shared a resort operator from Cross River State. “From March to October, we’re just trying to keep the lights on.”

Operators claimed that the December spike caused huge pressure on infrastructure and service providers. Hotels are overbooked, roads are congested, and tourist attractions are struggling with the crowds and not enough people to help. Yet the same infrastructure remains empty and under-maintained the rest of the year.

“That’s also the case in staff retention and planning for the long haul as well. Small tour companies can’t keep full-time staff for the entire year and just cut back on operations until the next spike in business,” he said.

“An entire industry shouldn’t rest on one month of success,” Michael Ajassi, travel consultant and destination manager. “We have trained tourists and operators alike to treat tourism as seasonal and not a habitual pattern.”

Ajassi said cyclical structures stunt innovation, limit access for low-income travelers, and weaken investor confidence in tourism as a viable, stable industry.

Experts in tourism claim Nigeria has several chances to promote year-round tourism, yet many of them are still unmet. For instance, offpeak months March to July match cooler north temperatures, blooming middle belt scenery, and school holidays which might encourage family travel. The rainy season also offers beautiful landscapes perfect for ecotourism, waterfall trips, and health getaways.

Short periods for local travel also come from religious holidays like Easter, Eid, and Independence Day weekends. Still, both operators and tourism companies undervalue these times. Ajassi said, “We have to rethink how we present Nigeria’s tourism calendar.”

Analysts say that one of the main issues is the lack of a systematic, countrywide tourism calendar promoting events, attractions, and experiences throughout all 12 months. Usually working in isolation, states and private operators nowadays concentrate on their separate flagship events, many of which fall within the December peak. 

By means of coordinated marketing initiatives, celebration circuits, and nature-driven travel guides, other African nations such Kenya and South Africa encourage multi-seasonal tourism. 

A senior official with a regional tourism board, speaking on condition of anonymity, said without a unified calendar visitors both local and international are left wondering when to come, where to go, and what to expect. 

Ajassi agrees; Nigeria needs more robust public-private synergy. 

He said a national tourism event map might help to distribute demand throughout the year. People would plan differently if they knew August was peak fishing season in Kebbi or May was excellent for hiking in Ekiti. 

Looking forward, tourism companies are urging industry bodies and government departments to diversify the calendar. Coordinated three-month campaigns, off-peak travel incentives, better transportation connections to less-frequented locations, and year-round content collaborations with digital media and travel outlets are among ideas. 

Additionally, gaining momentum are community-based tourism projects that run constantly and involve local culture outside of major, annual celebrations. Ajassi said, we cannot wait for December if we want tourism to significantly help Nigeria’s economy. January, April, August, and always open for discovery must be pillars of an industry we developed.