The organizer of the 2026 Domestic Tourism Festival (DTF), held in Enugu, Chioma Obi, has called for more practical efforts to grow Nigerian tourism. Chioma Obi who is also the Director of Jands Travel Business School, said: “Domestic tourism grows when we move beyond talking about destinations and create practical opportunities for people to experience them, invest in tourism businesses and develop the skills the industry needs.”

She said the DTF was designed to bring those conversations together through innovation, partnerships, cultural experiences and professional education, adding that the real measure of success was the work that continues after an event.

She said tourism events can direct visitor-spending towards hotels, restaurants, transport providers, travel agencies, event suppliers and cultural operators. For Enugu and the wider South-East, she said tourism events would also offer a platform to showcase heritage, cuisine, festivals and community experiences.

The DTF was organised by Jands Travel Business School (JTBS) under the theme “Innovation; Technology for Peaceful Domestic Tourism,” and the festival featured tourism master-classes, a travel technology pitch competition in partnership with BlockchainHub Africa, awards, cultural experiences and networking for tourism stakeholders.

This year’s event also featured premium sponsors such as Enugu Air, United Nigeria Airlines, Flyzone Tourism, Bereeth Travel and Tours, Bertab Journeys, Trophy Stout, Afia TV and a host of other exhibitors who added colour, depth and beauty to the 3-day event.

Building on the festival, she said the company would hold its Travel Business Foundation training from November 30 to December 14, 2026, with virtual and physical sessions. The programme aims to strengthen foundational knowledge for aspiring and existing travel practitioners. Registration information is available at www.jandstravelschool.com.

To show the potential scale of event-related spending, Chioma Obi explained that if 100–300 out-of-town participants each spent ₦50,000–₦150,000 locally over the event period, direct spending could fall between approximately ₦5 million and ₦45 million.