Tourism Insights is a publication by Red Clay, a boutique tourism advisory practice focused on sustainable tourism development in Africa.
Dear Reader,
It is December already and Christmas is barely 3 weeks away. I hope that doesn’t cause you to panic but instead take stock of the year, and use it as a chance to focus on the activities for the rest of the year.
It has been a very eventful last quarter for us at Red Clay; we launched the Tour Guide Training Programme in September, in collaboration with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) and the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MTAC). We have completed the first and second of a three-batch training programme, each running for 6 consecutive weeks. How have we fared so far, and what lessons have we learned? More on this later.
When we started the Tourism Roundtable Series in March 2021, the idea was to bring together business leaders and policymakers in the tourism and hospitality industry in West Africa as well as global players from allied sectors – health, security, HR, trade & commerce, insurance, law, etc. We held the final roundtable session for the year in November, and what a year it has been – with over 300 participants at our roundtable sessions from tourism and other industries from around the world, we have built a strong platform for knowledge sharing, networking, developing innovative solutions to the peculiar issues and challenges facing us as an industry, and most importantly, a platform positioned for collaboration.
We also launched the West Africa Tourism Report (2021) which compiles the deliberations from the roundtable discussions and our ATRA Initiative – for the Advancement of Tourism Research in Africa in 2022 and beyond. We hope this report provides insight into the current situation of the tourism industry in West Africa and what work needs to be done going forward. For more on ATRA, please read more. In an exclusive interview with Dipo Adebo, we discussed his architectural firm’s role in the design and construction of the new Lagos Marriott Hotel in Ikeja and why we need hotel architects to design and build hotels.
We hope you enjoy reading this, and from all of us at Red Clay, we wish you continued success and compliments of the season with very best wishes for 2022.
Adun
Dr Adun Okupe
Senior Advisor, Red Clay
The Lagos State Tour Guide Training Programme: A Memoir
The Lagos State Tour Guide Training Programme, facilitated by Red Clay in collaboration with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) and the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, was officially launched on September 16th as key players in the industry gathered at the historic Jaekel House, Lagos. Leading the list of high-level stakeholders at the event were the Honourable Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (LSMTAC), Pharm. Uzamat Akinbile- Yussuf; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Princess Adedoyin Ajayi, and the Director of Programmes & Coordination, LSETF, Omolara Adewumi.
The launch of the Lagos State Tour Guide Training Program. Front row (L-R): PA to the Hon. Commissioner, LSMTAC, Mr. Ferdinand Tinubu; Permanent Secretary, LSMTAC, Princess Adedoyin Ajayi; Hon. Commissioner, LSMTAC, Pharm. Uzamat Akinbile- Yussuf; Director of Programmes & Coordination, LSETF, Omolara Adewumi; Dr Adun Okupe, Senior Advisor, Red Clay; Aduke Gomez & Efetobo Awhana.
150 tour guides were selected from a competitive process, with 2 batches completed and the final batch set to commence in January 2022. Our expert facilitators, proven tourism professionals have delivered the workshops as business coaches for the tour guide training participants. The participants have been equipped with a deep knowledge of the tourism industry, how to design and run innovative tours and how to run successful tour guiding businesses. The training programme incorporated digital skills training, health and safety training from representatives of the Nigerian Red Cross Society on First Aid, CPR and other basic health and safety practices.
Tour Guides on an experiential tour Freedom Park, Lagos Island on World Tourism Day in September
Tour guides after an in-class session with Sam Adeleke, one of the facilitators on the programme
Tour Guides on an experiential tour to Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, Lekki in November
The West Africa Tourism Report and the ATRA Initiative
The West Africa Tourism Report (2021) was launched at the fifth edition of the West Africa Tourism Roundtable Series held on Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021 at Radisson Blu Anchorage, Victoria Island, Lagos by the Senior Advisor of Red Clay, Dr Adun Okupe.
The report is a compilation of the extensive information and insights shared by twelve (12) distinguished professionals spanning across various tourism and allied sectors – hospitality, finance, trade and investment, human resources, real estate, health, safety and security (HSS), and sustainability strategy. It also contained expert ideas from over 200 participants from West Africa and the rest of the world on innovative solutions to region-specific constraints hindering tourism development in the sub-region.
To download a copy of the report, please click here
These challenges include how to build a vibrant domestic and regional hospitality and tourism industry; health, safety and security for destination competitiveness; tourism entrepreneurship and service quality; the impact of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and how it can drive regional trade, travel and tourism; online and offline safety for tourists, human resource management and talent required for growth in our dynamic industry and; the role of sustainability thinking in tourism development.
Some of the findings from the roundtable sessions include the need for accurate data, the need for an enabling environment for businesses, and long-term investments for destination development and human capital development. These are interconnected, and the most critical of these is data. Data informs decision-making for policymakers, investors and practitioners. Data drives engagement within the industry and our aim of attracting the best minds to work in our industry requires evidence to show that the industry is well-placed to provide a rich and varied career path.
For this reason, we are also launching the ATRA initiative to Advance Tourism Research in Africa which aims to build upon the roundtable sessions and focus on areas with catalytic impact.
Who can be a part of the ATRA initiative?
- Tourism researchers who reside in or are interested in Africa
- Local, national, regional and international tourism organizations
- Tourism practitioners and policymakers
- Practitioners and researchers in related fields
We cannot go it alone and as always, we look forward to working with you to make this a reality. To be a part of the ATRA initiative, please please fill the ATRA Initiative Registration Form or send an email to atra@redclayadvisory.com
Why we need hotel architects to design and build hotels
A Conversation with Dipo Adebo
Have you ever wondered what makes certain hotels work well and what does not? It starts at the design stage. And the design and build of a hotel is quite different from that of a home or an office. This is because the users are different and the key to great architecture is one that is user-centric.
Dr Adun Okupe, Senior Advisor at Red Clay Advisory sat down with Architect Dipo Adebo to reflect on his firm’s role in the design and construction of the new Lagos Marriott Hotel in Ikeja. Dipo Adebo is the principal architect of DAA Architects Limited, an architectural firm that specializes in hospitality, retail and urban residential designs.
The Lagos Marriott Hotel, Ikeja
Tell us about the new hotel and its design. How did you get involved in the project and what was your role?
DAA was taken on after the concept design was done by G1 Architecture, a firm based in the UK. The client was keen to fast-track construction start-up onsite and hoped for an expedited completion. Our initial role was to assist the UK team in progressing the schematic and detail design phases, ensuring that we integrated the local planning and construction requirements. However, during the design phase, G1 were unable to continue, and DAA had to take over the rest of the design through to the construction phase of the project. Also, during the construction stage, DAA was asked to provide project coordination in parallel to the project manager appointed for the job.
To read the full interview, please click here
What’s happening with tourism around the world?
Travellers rely on information from websites, blogs and social media to influence their choices of destinations to visit. Here is why travel writing can contribute to destination development in West Africa. Click to read more
Travel agents can do more than just book flights for tourists. They can also play a key role in piquing and sustaining the interests of travellers. Here is why we need efficient travel agents for tourism development. Click to read more
As a local living in or a tourist visiting West Africa, what are your initial perceptions of the sub-region? How can tourism rebranding of West Africa play a key role in driving foreign investments and contributing to sustainable tourism development? Click to read more
The annual Ìsàlè Èkó Day for 2021 comes up on Sunday, December 19, with the symposium titled: ‘Urban Regeneration of Ìsàlè Èkó – The Way Forward’. The event will be live-streamed. Click to register