Full Text of
A KEYNOTE LECTURE
DELIVERED BY
OTUNBA OLUSEGUN RUNSEWE, FIMS, FABE, OON
DIRECTOR GENERAL, NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR ARTS AND CULTURE (NCAC), PRESIDENT, WORLD CRAFTS COUNCIL (AFRICAN REGION)
AT THE MAIDEN EDITION OF THE FEDERAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY OF NIGERIA (FAAN) NATIONAL AVIATION CONFERENCE (FNAC) HELD AT THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTRE FROM 14TH TO 17TH JUNE, 2022
Preamble
I wish to sincerely commend the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for organizing this very important conference with the theme Advancing the Frontiers of Possibilities for Safe, Secure and Profitable Air Transport. This theme underscores the critical importance of the Aviation Industry to the socio-economic development of any nation. Indeed, for the aviation industry to successfully and profitably drive the development of any nation, it must be safe, secure, reliable and enjoy the confidence of air transport users.
It is for this reason that the organizers of this programme must be commended for evolving this platform for key industry players to brainstorm on how the aviation industry in Nigeria can be strengthened to fully respond to the dynamics of air transportation system in the world.
May I also sincerely commend the Management of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for the very remarkable reforms and infrastructural developments in our airports. The establishment of additional terminals in some of our international airports, like the Murtala Muhammed international airport, Lagos (terminal 2), Nnamdi Azikiwe international airport, Abuja, Port Harcourt international airport etc. which are efforts geared towards enhancing the standards of the international airports in Nigeria are a clear commitment of the airports authority to the adherence to international best practices.
I have been invited to speak on the topic Nigerian Airports: Gateway to Developing and Managing Tourist Destinations in Nigeria. Having served our nation as the Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) for close to eight (8) years, and by virtue of my current position as the Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), I feel quite confident to share my thoughts and experience on this subject matter.
Travel and Tourism
Travel, the planned and systematic movement from one place to another is as old as mankind. From the pre-historic era to modern civilization, people have always travelled for different purposes – to visit friends and relations, to perform religious obligations, for adventure or trade with other communities, states or nations and so on.
As societies developed and the means of transportation became more sophisticated, travelling became increasingly complex with varying purposes.
With the evolution of travel came tourism. While tourism inevitably involves travel, not all forms of travels can be said to be tourism. The word travel entails all forms of movement irrespective of the motive for the movement. On the other hand, tourism is motive specific. Thus, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) defines tourism as “activities of a person travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not less than 24 hours for leisure, business and other purposes”.
From the above definition, it is evident that:
Tourism involves traveling from one place to another;
Tourism involves a temporary stay outside one’s place of permanent residence;
The purpose of tourism is to visit a destination for leisure, recreation, business or other related objectives but not inclusive of employment;
While an excursionist visit a destination and returns to his place of residence within 24 hours, a visitor must spend not less than 24 hours in a destination to be qualified as a tourist.
Components of Tourism
While it is difficult to exhaust the various sectors of human affairs covered by tourism, it is often convenient to identify three basic components of the industry. These are Transportation, Accommodation and Attraction. It is the totality of activities in these areas and other support services that constitute the tourism sub-sector of the economy of any nation.
Transportation
This involves the means by which tourists get to a destination. This could be by road, rail, air or waterways. A tourist destination must be easily accessible for it to enjoy adequate patronage.
Transportation is an important component of tourism because a destination could be very attractive, yet unexplored if there are no adequate, effective and comfortable means of transportation. Thus, all activities involving the movement of tourists from one location to another such as car and bus hire services, Airlines and Shipping Lines Operations, Travel Agencies, Tour Packaging, Tour Operations, Booking Agencies, Incentive Travel Organizers etc. fall under the transportation component of the tourism sub-sector of the economy. This point is particularly important to this paper because effective transportation engenders the growth of tourism.
Accommodation
As already stated, for a visitor to be considered a tourist, he must pass at least one night in a particular destination. Tourist accommodation is any facility that provides overnight accommodation for the tourists.
Accommodation is very vital to tourism because no tourist would visit a destination where he or she is not sure of a secure, adequate and comfortable accommodation. Tourists not only need a place for comfortable rest, but also affordable quality food. This underscores the vital importance of hotels, motels and guest houses, apartments, vacation villages, hostels which provide shelter, food and beverages required for the tourists’ comfort.
Attraction
The term attraction is used here to mean the primary motivation for the tourist; the object of appeal or the “quest motif”. Tourists do not just travel for the sake of it. They travel because they want to have an experience of a facility or a service they consider as an object of pleasure or satisfaction. It could be to explore nature, to experience a festival, to reflect on history through relics or monuments, to engage in adventure, to watch sporting events among other things. There are various forms of attraction. They include theme Parks, Museums and Galleries, National Parks, Wildlife Parks, Gardens, Heritage Sites and Centres, Sports Centres, Festivals and Events, among others.
There are three types of attraction. These are:
Natural Attractions
These are awesome and pleasurable natural features that capture the fancy of the viewing public. Examples are Beaches, Waterfalls, caves, Game Reserves and National Parks among others.
Cultural Attractions
These are the unique and fascinating cultural and religious events of communities that attract tourists to a destination. They include festivals and other socio-cultural features.
Man-made Attractions
These are objects deliberately created by man as sources of attraction of the tourists to the destination where they are located. Examples are historical buildings, museums and monuments, ancient and modern architecture, amusement parks, casinos, theatres, gardens, conferences, sports among others.
The Importance of Air Transportation
With the Advent of modern means of communication and transportation, the world has become a global village. Air transportation has comparative advantage over other means of transportation because of its speed, security, comfort and punctuality.
Because of its globalized nature, it helps to connect different continents, countries and cultures. It also facilitates efficient travel to distant places, thereby enriching human life and experience in the process. Aerospace Global Report in 2011 indicates that over 2,000 airlines operating more than 23,000 aircrafts serve 3,700 airports around the world. The sector is still expanding as the years run by. It contributes significantly to the economic development of nations through the facilitation of trade, direct and indirect employment and contribution to the Gross Domestic Products of nations.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is quoted by Asiegbu Benjamin et al as stating that air transportation directly employs four million people worldwide and generates $400 billion in output. It submits further that the efficient and quality improvements in air passengers’ services contribute to the growth of other sectors such as tourism and hospitality. In fact, air transportation and tourism complement each other and are mutually reinforcing. This brings to the fore the importance of engendering the growth and development of the transportation. Without transportation the development of tourism is greatly impaired. The free flow of people and information, together with improved air cargo operations promote trade and improve the efficiency of the overall economy. It is therefore evident that a strong and viable air transportation is crucial to the development of a viable and profitable tourism sector and the growth of the economy generally. It is for this reason that the Nigerian Aviation Industry must be developed and strengthened as a veritable means of sustainable tourism, economic growth and development.
Nigerian Airports as Gateway for Developing the Growth of Tourism in Nigeria
The importance of tourism to the economic development of a nation cannot be overemphasized. As one of the highest employers of labour in the world, tourism holds enormous potential for poverty alleviation, job and wealth creation. Accordingly, the growth of tourism inevitably stimulates the growth of transportation and economic development. Consequently, it is important to ensure that international standards are maintained in the aviation industry to grow the tourism sector and drive the process of economic development.
Tourism, as earlier pointed out, involves travelling. Most of the international tourists and a good number of domestic tourists get to their destination by means of air transportation. This is why the aviation industry is very critical to the growth and sustenance of tourism. A destination has to be easily accessible to tourists for it to be of value. Therefore, good transportation is one of the pillars for the development of sustainable tourism. While a tourist’s destination must be appealing to attract the attention of tourists, it must also be easily accessible, safe and secure to enjoy good patronage.
Tourists are essentially in search of recreation/leisure and adventure. Their total experience of a destination must be built around these cardinal desires. For the international tourists, first experience matters. As the first window of exposure for the international tourists, the experience he has at the airport would have a lasting impression on his overall assessment of the country of his destination. Therefore, facilities at the airport must be of standard and fully operational.
These facilities includes but not restricted to the following:
Security screening points
Check-in counters
A clean and fascinating environment
Multi-layer baggage sorting
Arrival and departure gates
Guest room and spa
Directional sinages
Clean toilets
Good restaurants
Effective protocol system
Fully and effectively manned information desks
Free wireless internet system
Iconic cultural items projecting Nigerian national identity: iconic figures and personalities, artistic materials, etc.
Retail shops for the display and sale of artistic products unique to Nigeria, etc.
The character and disposition of the workers at the airport is also of great importance. The customs, immigration and other security officers must be polite, friendly and ready to render assistance. The transportation network within the airport, and between the airports, hotels or final destinations of the tourists must be effective. Metro system has become a conventional means of transportation within the airport. Only well trained cab drivers should be registered to undertake commercial business between the airports and the final destination of tourists. Registered tour operating companies with knowledgeable tour guides would also go a long way in adding to the total experience of the tourists.
Some Challenges facing Air Transport System in Nigeria
Although the Air Transportation system in Nigeria has performed creditably, the sector is still faced with some serious challenges that are militating against its efficiency and optimal performance. Some of these challenges include inadequate funding, decaying facilities, inadequate security network, intermittent air crashes, etc.
These challenges have tended to project the air transport system in Nigeria as not too safe and reliable. For example, the cargo system is vulnerable to several security threats such as the placement of explosive aboard aircrafts, illegal shipment of contrabands, smuggling, theft, sabotage and other forms of unwholesome practices.
Very often, we hear reports of domestic animals straying into the terminals of the airports due to lack of solid perimeter fencing or the collapse of the existing ones. All these threats, and more, greatly militate against the growth of the aviation sector in Nigeria and give the sector a very bad international image.
7.0 Specific Recommendations
In addition to the foregoing, the following measures should be put in place to reposition our airports to further enhance travellers’ comfort, confidence, satisfaction and experience in order to fully and effectively support the growth of the tourism industry.
Adequate Security
All tourists are sensitive to safety and security issues. No tourist will take the risk to visit a destination where the security of his or her life is not guaranteed. Consequently, adequate security measures should be put in place to meet up with the international best practice in the aviation sector.
Perimeter fencing of the airports should be of utmost priority to further enhance the airport security architecture. The airports environment should be well illuminated to facilitate a 24 hours operation at the airports.
The Regulatory bodies like FAAN, NAMA, and NCAA should put in place adequate regulatory frameworks to ensure safety and security in the Nigeria air transportation system.
Effective monitoring of all airlines should be regularly conducted to ensure that the aircrafts are in good conditions. The relevant authorities must carry out checks on the aircrafts before take-off and at arrival to minimize the level of risks by avoiding any technical loophole. This will greatly boost the confidence of air travellers and project the international image and reputation of the Nigerian Aviation sector. Accordingly, it is strongly recommended that these regulatory bodies should be fully and adequately funded and empowered with appropriate regulatory policies to support their performance.
Terminal Design, Construction and Maintenance
It is important to point out that while the commissioning of additional terminals in some of our airports is a step in the right direction. The general opinion of aviation experts is that terminals in all international airports in Nigeria should have apron spaces wide enough to accommodate widebody aircrafts like Boeing 787, Dreamliner 777, 747, Airbus A380. It is therefore strongly recommended that space should be a major consideration in the location, design and construction of international airports terminals.
Good Maintenance Culture
Good maintenance culture will go a long way in constantly keeping the facilities in the airports in good conditions. Accordingly, adequate attention should be paid to the maintenance of the infrastructural facilities at the airport.
Repairs or replacement of facilities should be promptly carried out in order to maximize the comfort and experience of tourists in our airports.
Training and Retraining of Aviation Workers
The Aviation sector is a very delicate one, requiring maximum care and attention. A minor lapse can be a source of great risk and embarrassment. In the light of this, workers in the sector must be well-grounded about their schedule of duties and exercise utmost care and caution in handling their jobs. This requires constant training and retraining of Aviation workers like the pilots, carbin crew members, weather forecast engineers, airport and airline staff members, members of all the regulatory agencies and those directly or indirectly connected with the air transportation chain.
The Need for a Strong National Carrier
Although, several international and domestic airlines operate in Nigeria, the nation has not had a national carrier since 2003 when the Nigerian Airways ceased to exist. For a country as large and as endowed as Nigeria, a national carrier is necessary to boost the Nigerian air transportation system and positively project our national image by flying the Nigerian National Flag at both international and domestic airspaces.
It is however heartwarming that the Buhari – led administration has put in place the appropriate framework for the establishment of a national carriers for Nigeria to be called Air Nigeria. The operating license has just been granted and Air Nigeria is set for a prompt take-off. When fully operational, the national carrier should serve as a reference point for safety standard, reliability and efficiency in service delivery.
No doubt, the Nigeria national carrier will further boost air transportation in Nigeria, contribute significantly in enhancing easy and speedy access of tourists to their destinations through connecting flights to states and tourist destinations.
Airport Hotels
The current practice worldwide is to locate standard hotels within the airports for passengers who are connecting from one destination to another and those who are unable to meet their flight schedule for one reason or the other.
Accordingly, it is recommended that good hotels with up-to-date facilities should be built within our international airports to cater for the needs of our tourists and other visitors.
Investment in the Tourism Industry
Government should provide the enabling environment for private sector investment in the tourism industry. This will make the industry viable enough to attract domestic and international tourists to our numerous tourist destinations.
Nigeria has great potential in several tourism sectors such as ecotourism, cultural tourism, business tourism, beach tourism, conference tourism. These areas should be well developed and strengthened to attract tourists to our destinations. Funds, in terms of grants and loans at concessionary interest rates should be given to tourism industry players to develop and upgrade their facilities to international standard.
8.0 Conclusion
In all, it is evident that the air transportation sector and tourism sector are closely inter-related. They both facilitate economic development, create wealth, employment and therefore of great impact to the Gross Domestic Product of any nation. The development of effective air transportation no doubt, would have multiplier effects on the development of the tourism sector and the economy as a whole.
Therefore, as we aspire to harness the huge economic benefits in our vast tourism potential and take advantage of the huge global funds in the tourism sector, we must constantly update facilities in the air transportation system that is a key driver of our economy.
Thank you very much for your attention.
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