Gallery of the Nations
Thinking about your next vacation spot?
Consider a trip to Nigeria.
Africa has always been a favorite destination for African-American travelers,
for many of whom West Africa is usually a "must see" region during
vacations. The region has personal historical significance for the Americans.
But for the average North American, Nigeria, for a number of reasons, is not one of the first places that come to mind as a vacation spot. For one, the West African region is a little further afield than the Caribbean or South America and a round trip there adds a few extra hundred dollars to the price of the air ticket. But this is not the main reason why Nigeria, and West Africa in general, is not as popular as East or North Africa or the Caribbean for tourists. The chief reason is government neglect of the tourist industry.
For many decades the Nigerian tourism industry saw little new investment by the state. The traditional tourist attractions -- Game Reserves, Nature Reserves and
Museums -- are maintained, but there is very little investment in the promotion of the industry. As a result not many people are aware of Nigeria's rich variety in
tourist attractions.
The situation is beginning to change, however. There is a new government emphasis on tourism promotion by the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, a subsidiary of the Federal Ministry Culture and Tourism.
Nigerian game and nature reserves may not be as co-extensive or heavily populated with animals as the East African reserves, but there are more of them, each unique in its own way and rich with wild life.
Apart from game reserves, there are museums with offerings of collections of art and cultural artifacts. But the most interesting cultural attractions are the traditional events and festivals that take place at different intervals throughout the year in different towns and communities across the country.
|
