By Maryanne Awuya
Ahead of World Tourism Day on September 27, tour operators in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory and Northern Region are refocusing domestic travel around digital transformation, fitness, and strategic government backing.
To kick off the celebrations, the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP) FCT/Northern Zone and youth tourism group Naija Adventurers hosted a joint roundtable and press conference in Abuja on Tuesday.
The coalition announced a street rally across Abuja on Saturday, September 26 a public campaign aimed at proving domestic tourism in Northern Nigeria is vibrant, structured, and ready for a tech-driven future.
Speaking at the briefing, Vice-President of NATOP (Northern Zone), Daniel Bello, said while artificial intelligence allows international travellers to plan complex, multi-destination itineraries within minutes, Nigeria’s immediate priority must be establishing strong digital visibility for its tourism destinations.
“If a tourist in Germany can now use AI to plan a trip to Paiko Hills, Zuma Rock, Jabi Lake and our waterfalls in five minutes, the question is: Are we online? Are we visible? Are we ready?”
“The future of tourism will not only be about beautiful destinations, but about how people discover these destinations through technology.”
Bello noted that combining NATOP’s corporate structure and business professionalism with the youth-led energy of the hiking community could help create a stronger tourism value chain.
“Tourism in the FCT and Northern Zone is more than hotels. It is our hills, our trails, our culture, our food and our people,” Bello said.
“Every hike we do creates jobs for transportation operators, water sellers, local guides and small restaurant owners. This is how tourism grows, and that is how the economy grows.”
Addressing the influence of technology on younger travellers, Chief Operating Officer of Naija Adventurers, Esesua Henrietta Adeyemi, highlighted the role of short-form video and aerial drone documentation in reshaping perceptions of domestic travel.
“The younger generation doesn’t read long books or text brochures anymore; they consume visuals,” Adeyemi explained.
She said the group’s drone pilots had recently documented hidden waterfalls in Kagarko, Kaduna State, as well as locations in Yankari and Wase, helping to showcase destinations that many Nigerians may not know exist.
“When people see those aerial footages, they find it hard to believe it is Nigeria,” Adeyemi said.
“Our partnership with NATOP ensures we document these places using modern technology to educate the public.”
Speaking exclusively to Persecondnews on the sidelines of the press briefing, NATOP Northern Zone Vice-President Daniel Bello shared the personal story behind his regional destination brand, Visit Ososo, and how digital platforms are helping local tourism operators reach audiences beyond Nigeria.
Bello said his passion for promoting Ososo began with his childhood experiences of the community’s natural landscape.
“I come from Ososo, which shares boundaries with Kogi State. Growing up, I noticed we shared similar weather with Jos, the same stunning topography, early morning dew and even suspended lakes,” he told PerSecondNews.
According to him, people travelled from different parts of the country to experience the area’s natural beauty, motivating him to promote his community as a tourism destination.
“That was how I fully entered the tourism industry,” he said.
Bello said some people initially advised him to change the name of his tourism brand, but he chose to retain the identity of his community.
“Many people actually told me, ‘Change your name, change it to something else!’ But my ideology is clear: if I promote Kenya, I promote Kenya with the Visit Ososo brand, so why not promote my own roots?” he said.
He explained that he decided to leverage social media and digital platforms to promote Ososo, a strategy he said had resulted in international interest in the destination.
“Because of this digital space we are emphasising today, I have received direct international calls and hosted visitors from outside Nigeria who came specifically to explore our local sites,” Bello said.
“If you have explored tourism across the entire world and you have not tasted Nigeria, you have not started. That is why we are organising avenues like this today to let the world know that Nigeria is a tourism haven ready for anyone who wishes to experience it.”
Despite the optimism surrounding digital adoption, industry leaders at the briefing called on federal and state authorities to address critical physical infrastructure and security challenges hindering domestic tourism.
FCT Coordinator for NATOP, Ademola Adegoke-Ijifusi, said that while Nigeria possesses abundant natural tourism assets, limited investment in site aesthetics, family-friendly infrastructure and security continues to constrain the sector.
“The places we see abroad that look so beautiful look that way because their governments took time to invest, polish and apply the aesthetics that make them attractive and safe,” Adegoke-Ijifusi said.
“Children love waterfalls and places to run around, but our current setups aren’t always designed for families. We need government to focus on site infrastructure and security so operators can market a presentable product.”
Echoing her concerns, NATOP National Deputy Secretary-General, Joan Ulaeto, urged government agencies to support the private sector in destination marketing while focusing on foundational infrastructure, security and regulation.
“It is not possible to sell a destination without government support, but government must allow the private sector to push the destinations,” Ulaeto said.
“Across the world, cities with high security concerns still record massive tourist arrivals because the narrative is managed effectively.
“We need government to build the structure, support us to go into schools to educate the younger generation on domestic travel, and let professional operators market Nigeria to the world.”
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