Expert urges tour operators to be creative
By Taiye Olayemi
Uloma Egbuna, Managing Director, Tour Brokers Group of Companies, on Thursday urged Nigerian tour operators to be creative in packaging authentic and unique tours to market the country as a choice destination.
Egbuna made the call during the conference session of the Eighth Annual General Meeting of the National Association of Nigeria Tour Operators, in Ilorin, Kwara.
The theme of the conference is: “Tourism as Catalyst for Progress, Peace and Partnership”.
Egbuna said tour operators must be creative in packaging authentic and unique tour packages, different from what tourists had been used to.
She said as much as tours to historical and heritage sites were attractive enough for tourists, unique packages around experiences could be developed to further woo tourists.
“As tour operators, you need to create authentic and creative experiences that are unique to us. We can have packages around Danfo buses in Lagos.
“We can have tours packaged around tourists coming to have an experience of Lagos traffic; how to make Nigerian food; let’s stop selling just historical attractions. We need to appreciate what we have.
“Stop struggling with travel agents to sell tickets, they are meant to be buying tour packages from you.
“Achieving excellence is a goal, develop the right mindset to develop tourism. Let your customers advocate for you,” she said.
Egbuna advised the tour operators to always thirst after knowledge to improve on their trade.
She noted that to achieve tourism excellence and growth, the tour operators must differentiate themselves from every other person.
“Always be abreast of changes in the business of tour packaging. Be passionate about what you do, love it and run with it.
“Let your narrative about Nigeria be in the positive always,” she said.
Also, Stella Fubara, Managing Director of Del-York Development Company, advised Nigerian tour operators to further explore the power of the social media in marketing the nation’s tourism assets.
She said it was time the operators broadened their communication channels with their clients in the process of marketing Nigeria as a choice tourist destination.
According to her, tour operators must take advantage of the recent discovery which reveals that Nigeria is rated number one country with highest Facebook users.
She added that Nigeria was also rated among the top five countries of internet users and top five countries with the population of people that had more than two cellphones.
“These discoveries can be used to our advantage as tour operators, you need to broaden your communication channels to market Nigeria.
“The social media space is a vital tool for us all to explore to tell Nigeria’s story. We should not allow the western world tell our story, we should tell authentic stories to woo tourists.” (NAN)
Edited by Christiana Fadare
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