IS it indeed a new dawn on the horizon for Nigeria’s tourism? In the past, President Goodluck Jonathan would have chosen to go abroad with a large entourage to burn tax payers money, add value to foreign economies and tourism while Nigeria’s economy, including  tourism, depletes.

In fact, it was fashionable to boldly declare that Mr. president was going abroad to rest after all the stress associated with the election campaigns- never mind the regular medical check ups by top government officials abroad.

Only recently, the President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma spent a week holiday in Nigeria’s Obudu Ranch. And  why  not?  The Obudu Ranch is one of the richest, naturally beautiful tourism sites in the world. Standing at 5,200 feet above sea level; the climate is cool and pleasant most part of the year, with captivating waterfall, excitingly beautiful views of mountains and the country-side; the ranch is perfect for honey moon and adventure seekers.

And oh, lest I forget, the fresh milk, cheese, butter and meat from the cattle in the ranch are wonderful; add that to the pure honey and yoghurt you get there, and no wonder Mr. Koroma confessed to have been attracted to the ranch by the quietness, calmness and the kind of environmental facilities he had been looking for, it is probably safe to say that Obudu’s popularity has been confirmed by President Koroma’s recent holiday there.

Nigeria has over 70 exciting destinations for holiday makers to explore, however, they are still largely unknown and untapped owing to the fact that most of them are not well packaged and marketed to both Nigerians and foreigners.

A lot of work still needs to be done by the Federal Ministry of Tourism to attract local and foreign investors and international tourists, owners of already existing sites and resorts should get the best hands in the hospitality industry to run them and get them to standards which can compare favourably with their kinds anywhere in the world. It has been said many times over that this is a gold mine waiting to be tapped- so let us make it happen. Ghana and South Africa have done well for themselves in this regard.

Not many understand that apart  from the the Obudu Ranch that there are the Coconut Beach in the coastal town of  Badagry, the Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi with its beautiful Wikki warm spring that gushes out from under a cliff, beautiful to the eyes and wonderful on the body. The park has a variety of wild animals.

How about the Mambilla  Plateau in Taraba State with some of the most beautiful views in the world. The Eleko Beach in Lagos is another site, especially for quiet fun seekers without the beehive common to some other beaches. There is also the Ibeno Beach in Akwa Ibom State, the Azimini Blue River Rose in Abia State, etc.

Apart from gaining the much- needed foreign exchange for the nation’s purse and income for both public and private sectors; more Nigerians need to be encouraged to unwind and cool off  stress(outside of beer parlors, pepper soup joints and fast foods joints) which is fast becoming a major killer of Nigeria’s working class populace.

Holiday making has not really been part of our culture basically because it is often associated with expensive trips abroad that only the very rich can afford. But recent research has proven that with proper marketing of tourism in Nigeria and knowledge, more people would embrace it and save up yearly for it without bleeding their purse and without being super rich. And from MTN’s “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire”, it has become clear that many Nigerians do not even know Nigeria- not many have travelled well within the country to appreciate it enough.

The recent spate of killings and bombings are ill-winds that blow no part of the country any good; therefore, security, being a crucial part of tourism, must be squarely dealt with, especially now that Nigeria has attained political stability which most foreign investors have  been very keen on.

President Jonathan demonstrated a rare act of patriotism with his recent one week holiday at the Obudu ranch, and in the words of the Cross River state governor, Senator Liyel Imoke: President Jonathan’s retreat at the Obudu Ranch is a great marketing strategy to market its potentials as well as reposition the resort.

(I) am reminded just a bit about the great Nelson Mandela when he refused to travel abroad for medical treatment when he took ill not long ago, noting that such a move would send a wrong signal to the world about the medical facilities in his country. We certainly look forward to more of such, not just from Mr. President but other top government officials some of whom over the years have made a reputation of jetting outside for the flimsiest of reasons- of course Nigerians have since concluded that such trivial trips have hidden criminal motives! Not that foreign trips in themselves are bad, certainly not, but when you disregard your own and choose to go out indiscriminately, particularly the government officials who do so at public expense.

Overall, tourism whether home or abroad is something to be coveted, it educates as it refreshes, and it broadens your world view much in same way as reading a very rich book- nay, much more! You get to see  other worlds, cultures, foods, wilds, beaches, beauties, – everything under the sun!

For the tourist-minded, the beauties of God’s earthly wonders are waiting for you to discover, uncover, explore and savour. After all, why wait to be told when you have got eyes to see for yourself? And as the French would say, bon voyage or is it bon vacance?

Mr. MENOR NWAEZIGWE, a broadcast  wrote from Lagos.