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The observed inability of the country to tap into its tourism potential over the years and the Snell speed growth of the nations aviation sector have been traced to the parallel nature of both sectors.

Otherwise, the absence of a synergy between the aviation and tourism ministries as it is the case with other African economies of the world where tourism is a high income earner, has been a stumbling block in the wheel of progress of both industries.

In a recent media interactive session with journalists in Lagos, President of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA), Mr. Bernard Bankole, said “Until the two are made to be one, harness the separate potentials of both will continue to be unreachable”.

“A thin line separate the two and that is why many countries of the world especially the Caribbean nations and even some African economies who have done that are now leaders in tourism and aviation industries.

Bankole cited Rwanda, a country that emerged from the ruins of a bloody civil war in the 90s, but which quickly floated a national carrier, RwandAir having successfully merged its tourism and aviation industry with tourists now flocking to the country from different parts of the world. According to him, “Other African countries like South Africa, Ethiopia, Egypt and Kenya are currently raked in millions of dollars yearly from their tourism and aviation industries because the two were merged to aid greater productivity, particularly with the establishment of viable national airlines”.

Continuing, he averred that “Even after a genocide that tore the country apart, Rwanda emerged with a good airline and the country is now using that airline to package its tourist sites and hotels to the world and in the process improving its revenue from the two sectors”.

“In Nigeria we are not showing any seriousness to unlock our tourism and aviation potential. Nigeria has never truly paid attention to the huge benefits that abound in its tourism. Tourism will never thrive alone without a partnership with aviation; the two work in sync. Tourism has to be married to aviation in Nigeria. This is a progressive partnership and policy decision that has helped other nations in the world to rebound on all indices of development.

“Globally, tourism and air transport industry complement each other. Tourism depends on transportation to bring visitors, while the transportation industry depends on tourism to generate demand for its services. The growth in tourism industry directly reflects on the air transportation industry.

NANTA boss argued that at global level, “Over the last 25 years, the number of international tourists has more than doubled. The expansion of international tourism has a large impact on the discipline of transport geography. Transport is the cause and the effect of the growth of tourism”.

“To start with, the improved facilities have stimulated tourism, and the expansion of tourism has stimulated transport. Accessibility is the main function behind the basics of tourism transport. In order to access the areas that are mainly aimed, tourists will use any transportation mode,” Bankole noted.

“As travel agents we know what happens all over the world; we know how aviation is used to unlock the tourism potentials in many countries around the world,” said Bernard.

“If you travel by air to London, there is a synergy between the city’s travel and tourism operators. From the airport, the taxi driver that picks you up begins to market the city; he sells the hotels and tourist sites that you have to viist. At the hotel, they also market London to you; the receptionists tell you where you can visit and help to arrange the taxis for you. They are fliers all over the airport, hotels, and taxis or buses or trains of where you can go either for shopping or leisure. They make sure that you spend the money you came with there.

While querying why the development cannot hold in Nigeria, Bankole said “What is stopping our airlines working with tour operators to market our country. Harnessing the potentials in our tourism industry is very important at this period in our country where we are struggling to resuscitate the economy. We need to work harder to open up the tourism industry now to boost revenue. We need to look beyond selling air tickets to selling our tourism destinations”.