Some industries wait for oil. Some wait for foreign validation. We work with something more powerful—we work with our history, our culture, and the movement of our people.

As President of the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN), I speak today not just to celebrate, but to declare: Nigeria Celebrates Tourism Resilience Day as a national economic statement.

For decades, Nigeria’s tourism narrative has been told by outsiders—fragmented, diluted, and sometimes misunderstood. Today, we are taking ownership. Through technology, digital storytelling, immersive media, and structured tourism development, we are telling our story ourselves—accurately, proudly, and profitably.

From the ancient civilization of Ife, cradle of artistic and spiritual heritage, to the industrious Awori communities of the Southwest; from the resilient enterprise of the Igbo (Ibo) nation to the cultural depth of Ishan heritage—our tribes are not just ethnic identities. They are economic ecosystems waiting to be amplified.

Tourism Resilience Day is not about survival. It is about structure.

Nigeria has endured economic cycles, security challenges, global pandemics, and shifting global travel patterns. Yet our festivals continue. Our palaces still stand. Our crafts still thrive. Our languages still carry wisdom. That is resilience.

But resilience without strategy is wasted strength.

This is why ATPN is championing a technology-driven storytelling framework—leveraging digital archives, virtual heritage mapping, festival livestream commerce, immersive destination marketing, and youth-driven content innovation. We will document our palaces. We will digitize our festivals. We will package our culinary traditions. We will create platforms where culture meets commerce.

We will not repeat our story—we will monetize it intelligently.

Economically, tourism remains one of the most inclusive industries in the world. One festival activates transporters, hoteliers, caterers, artisans, security services, content creators, and local governments. One heritage site, properly structured, can sustain thousands of livelihoods. One digitally amplified cultural event can reach global audiences in seconds.

Tourism Resilience Day therefore stands for three commitments:

Protect Peace – because no destination grows without stability.

Preserve Heritage – because culture is our competitive advantage.

Project Through Technology – because the digital economy is the new global marketplace.

Nigeria does not lack culture. Nigeria does not lack creativity. Nigeria must not lack coordination.

We call on government, private investors, traditional institutions, youth innovators, and the diaspora to align with this national movement. Tourism is not entertainment. It is structured revenue, diplomatic power, and community development.

Resilience means we did not disappear.
Strategy means we now dominate.

As we mark Nigeria Celebrates Tourism Resilience Day, let it be recorded that this is the moment we moved from fragmented storytelling to coordinated economic activation.

I started from the road as a tour operator, I now lead at the national table—but my mission remains the same: I turn holidays into wealth and festivals into sustainable economies.

Prince Femi Oluwasina
President
Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN)