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  Tourism is a gigantic business waiting to explode in Nigeria. Lagos and Abuja are getting it right and the rest of the nation is playing catchup. But you don’t have to be in those cities to maximize the opportunities in Nigeria’s tourism sector. Here are a few pointers to the areas you can invest in:
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  • Hospitality & Facilities
There are several thriving chains of restaurants in Nigeria. We have the Sheratons, Hilton, Le Meridien, Shangra Lai, Best Western Hotel, etc. If you can come up with a hotel or restaurant business with similar standards to those thriving brands in an undiscovered locality with high potential for growth, you can make some really cool cash. But beware, this is the most competitive sector. Every day resorts are bursting forth in different parts of the country. Look for a natural attraction near you and do something about setting up a facility there. If there is a waterfall in your city, be the one that builds a resort nearby or provides a facility that enhances the experience of those who come there for a visit. This way, we will have more development around tour attractions of high value.  
  • Transportation
Sure, we have Air and Road Travel locked down. With the new train stations, we hope to have more leisure train activity in the country. For those looking to break into this sector, consider city tour bus transportation services, hot-air balloon services, more boat cruises, jet skis, and kayaks along our waterways and cable cars in mountainous regions like the Mambila plateau. There are still enough grounds to break here.
  • Entertainment and Theme Parks
It may seem like we have a lot of parks in Nigeria, from Nature Parks to Water Parks and Amusement Parks. Most of them are not distributed evenly in all the Nigerian states. In some states, unlike in Lagos, the distance between the capital and where the park is located is much. You can be the first person to install a park or game arena in a capital city. Or you can choose a neutral locality in need of such injection of life and fun. You can set up art galleries, pottery houses, paintball arenas, obstacle courses, game centers, cinema houses, etc. The list is endless. Who knows, with your courage, other investors will want to put up supporting structures around your establishment to benefit from the influx and cause development in that region.
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  • Tour Operators
Though we already have a lot of tour operators in Nigeria, choosing a niche can help you stand out. You can choose to offer local tour packages like Motley, international tour packages like LeryB Travels, tour packages to green spaces, food tours, nature conservations, culture, and history experience, etc. You can even choose to focus on tours within one state only, e.g. Macquest tours based in Cross River state, and Fruity Tours based in Abuja. some tour operators have even begun virtual tours for those who want to avoid the high cost of logistics associated with traveling.
  • Infrastructure
Typically, this is the government’s cup of tea. But if, as a businessperson from the private sector, you wish to maximize a center of attraction; you have a role to play. You can provide 24/7 electricity with a power plant, maintain the road leading to your establishment, ensure running water is always available on your property, etc. If there is one thing Nigerians know how to do, it is to make a way where there seems to be none or no hope for one. This dogged spirit will help you overcome infrastructural challenges associated with setting up a business in Nigeria. You don’t need to have millions or billions before investing in the tourism sector. Start with that little idea you have and soon, it will make a tremendous impact on the Nation. Source Nigerian Culture and Tourism Featured image source: The Interviews Nigeria
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This article was first published on 17th February 2022

ann

Ann Esievoadje is a freelance writer who is passionate about encouraging a reading culture and personal development. She has authored two books, The Quilt (fiction) and Being Mummy and Me (non-fiction). She manages Pulchra Publishing which offers a content creation/editing, transcription, different forms of writing (including Ghostwriting) service and her blog, Life Love and Anything Goes at annesievoadje.blogspot.com.ng. You can reach her at annesievoadje@gmail.com

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