‘Youths are greatest asset to tourism’

The Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John, has said that with 70 per cent of the country’s population under 30, Nigeria’s young people are the greatest asset in tourism.

The minister, who disclosed this recently at the 20th edition of AKWAABA Travel and Tourism Market in Lagos, stated that “young Nigerians are not just travellers; they are storytellers, digital nomads, and entrepreneurs reshaping our tourism landscape. We need to harness the energy of our youth to propel Nigeria to the forefront of global tourism.”

Ade-John added that the ministry is collaborating with the Ministry of Education to include history and tourism in the curriculum from the primary school level. Reiterating the importance of youths in driving tourism, she stated that “65 per cent of domestic trips in2023 were undertaken by travellers aged 18-35 and that youth-led tourism startups have grown by 150 per cent in the last three years.

“Social media engagement in travel content has surged 300 per cent among Nigerian youth since 2021. 80 per cent of our tourism workforce is under 40, bringing innovation and digital savvy to the sector. The future of Nigerian and African tourism is in your hands,” she said.

The tourism minister further stated that leveraging technology to develop a comprehensive tourism database, website, mobile app, and virtual tours is paramount and that the ministry is partnering with private sector players and tech-savvy youth to drive this digital revolution.

Speaking on global trends in tech-driven tourism, Head Converged Solutions, MTN Group, Ifeanyi Otudoh, stated that the global virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) market in tourism is expected to reach $304 billion by 2028 with an annual growth rate of 27.4 per cent and that85 per cent of customer interactions in the travel industry were managed without human intervention by 2023, with Al-powered chat bots and virtual assistants providing 24/7 service.

Otudoh, who underscored the importance of seamless technology integration in the travel and tourism sector, said that “52per cent of travellers say social media and advertising inspire their travel plans, and 85 per cent of travellers use mobile devices to book activities once they arrive at a destination, with 45 per cent of these travellers booking through mobile-exclusive apps.”

The Head of Converged Solutions of MTN Group elucidated that personalised, location-based promotions to provide customers with a rich, data-enabled travel experience inspire more customer loyalty due to a better, faster, more personalised, and rewarding experience.

“loT-enabled smart airports have enhanced customer satisfaction by 25 per cent, with features like real-time baggage tracking and automated check-ins. 73 per cent of travellers prefer contactless check-ins and mobile keys when staying at hotels. This is to open up your mind to great things that are possible and how technology heightens customer satisfaction in the travel and tourism industry. MTN, as a global brand, can reach out to millions of people to partner and collaborate to drive the travel industry forward,” he said.