By Ayo  Onikoyi

In recent times, with tools to make pictures better and with long range cameras, the places where people can go in Nigeria to see new and pretty things are changing how people talk about those places on social media. Flip through TikTok and Instagram and what you will see will be fun to look at: waterfalls, fanciful beaches, long historical hills, and dreamy islands to see that people are talking about and are in high desire to experience these places. 

These things shown to the people in the digital world have created the wish of the people in Nigeria and others living here, to come here more and see others things that are not as close, but more like to spend time and away from the city. But there is harder information behind what is shown in the digital world. Many places in, and near, Nigeria are not equal to what they are in images and videos that are on the digital world.

Apparently, people visit new places, even with less money in their accounts because of the fascination from digital content of these places. And according to Margaret, a travel blogger: “I went on a new trip, and I went with my friends and my family. I drove there in my car. When I got there, I saw brown water, there was a lot of trash everywhere, and waited a long time before we saw anyone and could buy anything.” 

One could tell this was a bad trip. A one time trip turned into a nightmare because of exaggerated images online. Tourism destinations should be worthy of people’s money—such that reality matches the aesthetics of social media.

Experts say the social media increase in tourism is each a blessing and a burden. It has democratised entry to different journey ideas and showcased Nigeria’s diverse services. But it has also created unrealistic expectancies that contemporary infrastructure struggles to fulfill.

“The problem isn’t the promotion,” explains tourism consultant Michael Ajassi. “It’s that we’re selling places quicker than we’re enhancing them. You have beautiful drone photographs of waterfalls, but no signage to get there, no protection measures, and no nearby lodging. That gap between picture and experience creates backlash.”

Ajassi says some tour operators now sense the want to over-edit or cautiously level content material simply to stay aggressive on line, even when this method misrepresents a vacation spot.

Expectations vs. Experience

Some of the most affected locations consist of rural retreats, seashore places, and adventure sites that appear serene in snap shots however remain largely underdeveloped. Tourists often lament about difficult roads for easy admission, lack of simple amenities like bathrooms or relaxation areas, and inadequate customer support.

For example, a recent group tour to a scenic waterfall in Ekiti State ended with tourists navigating muddy, unpaved roads for several.hours; discovering there are no guiding personnels, no waste disposal system, and no emergency guide in case of harm.

This routine sample is breeding skepticism. Reviews on tour blogs and forums increasingly consist of warnings like “don’t consider the Instagram images” or “great for photos, negative for comfort.”

Whose Responsibility?

The question of who’s really responsible in the world of tourism is a bit of a head-scratcher. There are influencers; the people who run the show at different travel spots; the companies that organize your trips, and even the government, all throwing their two cents into the mix when it comes to how we see and experience travel. They all help tell the story about what a place is like, and they have got to make sure we’re not getting too hyped up for something that’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

Now, people often point fingers at influencers for making things seem better than they really are. But let’s be real, they are simply trying to catch our attention. Daniel Etuk, a travel photographer, says it’s like a quick-catch. If he shares a gritty, real-life road to a resort, crickets. But throw up a pic of a pool at golden hour, and boom—everyone’s all over it. That’s just how the whole social media gig works.

But Daniel’s not the only one with a take on this. There are high-profile professionals in the travel game who think that tourism boards and the people in charge of the actual spots need to get their act together. They’re saying, “Look, invest more in the nuts and bolts, like fixing up the roads and buildings, teach your staff to be super helpful, and make sure the prices are fair and consistent. Oh, and don’t forget about keeping everyone safe!” These are the things that really matter to people when they’re out there traveling and having a good time, not just how pretty it looks on Instagram. To achieve wholeness, there must be balance. Influencers show us the glamour shots, but tourists should maybe do a bit of digging, too. It’s all about keeping it real and making sure everyone’s happy when they finally set foot on their dream vacay.

A Way Forward

As Nigeria currently considers tourism for economic development, a slight shift in the course of this discussion toward sustainability has begun. Now there is more honesty demanded in marketing and by beholders in site management to keep pace with that momentum online.

“Visuals shouldn’t be lies,” says Ajassi. “They should be invitations. And the real experience has to back that invitation.”

Getting that done needs a public-private partnership. Perhaps a system that sets quality standards for tourism, along with unified review platforms and some rewards for improving destinations, could help bridge the gap from expectation to reality. 

Also, tourists should research their destinations well, read independent reviews, and interact with operators about what to expect. Often things look unrealistic just from aesthetic aspects, which are unfair both to visitors and to the locals.

Social media offers Nigerian tourism a potent prism toward its image crafting. If the reality fails to bear out the online display, then the country is on the road to building a name for disappointment rather than discovery.

It is time to secure the fact that Nigerian destinations were not meant for Instagram only.