As the world battles with challenges posed by climate change, experts in the tourism industry continue to experiment with ways of effectively tackling the effects of the change on the sector.
Given the global economic and social value of tourism on one hand and its strong relationship with the climate on the other, analysts say that stakeholders must strike a balance between the two.
While corporate bodies continue to fight the impact of the change through research, awareness campaigns and other initiatives, stakeholders in the tourism industry are also involved in various activities in that direction.
In recognition of the efforts, the UN dedicated this year’s World Tourism Day (WTD) to the theme, ‘’Tourism: Responding to the Challenge of Climate Change’’.
Experts agree that dedicating the day to the issue of climate change has become imperative because the 2008 UN Study on Climate Change and Tourism Estimates shows that tourism generates ‘’about five per cent’’ of global carbon emissions.
According to the study, the issue is even more important because tourism business remains a vital component of the global economy.
“Given tourism’s importance in the global challenge of climate change and poverty reduction, there is a need to urgently adopt a range of policies which encourage a truly sustainable tourism that is responsive to the environment,’’ it says.
The report also suggests a rapid response to climate change within the UN framework that will progressively reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses.
Nigeria is not left behind in the effort to promote the sector, while checking its negative effects on the environment.
It is perhaps in response to this that the Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation dedicated this year’s WTD to examining how the nation can protect the environment while exploring its tourism potential.
This year’s WTD was held on the Mambilla Plateau in Taraba.
The area is famous for its beautiful scenes and a topography largely made up of undulating plains and rising hills.
It is traversed by many rivers, among them Rivers Benue , Donga and Taraba. It is also a host to numerous lakes, rivulets and waterfalls.
Average rainfall on the plateau is about 1,350mm per annum, normally between).
April and October, while its dry season comes between November and March.
The plateau itself is 1,830 metres above sea level.
The vegetation of Taraba is mainly of the Guinea Savannah type with tall grasses, but there are thick forests at the Gashaka, Kurmi,Ussa and Donga areas.
Speaking on the tourism potential of the state,the Tourism and Culture Minister, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode, describes the area as ‘’well endowed’’.
‘’There is so much scenic beauty here that has remained untapped; if we can tap even half of what is here, it will make Taraba the preferred tourist destination in Africa ,’’ he says.
Apart from the plateau, the state is also rich in cultural heritage.
Its major festivals include the Nwonyo Fishing Festival, Purma Festival of the Chamba people, the Puje Festival of the Jukun and the Kambu Festival, in addition to the Gashaka-Gumti National Park.
The Mambilla Plateau region, which forms the natural boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon, is another scenic beauty.
It is predominantly non-volcanic in nature with an altitude above 1,500m.
According to Kayode, the decision to host this year’s WTD on the plateau is to seek a lasting solution to the challenge of climate change.
To do that effectively, he says that most of the WTD activities were designed to foster awareness on the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic relevance.
According to him, government is prepared to give Taraba the right attention to make it a leading tourist destination in the country.
He speaks of the need for a collaborative effort between Taraba and the Federal Government in developing infrastructure and exploring the tourism potential there.
Kayode lists such infrastructure to include good roads, security outfits, stable power supply and a good communication network.
But for many analysts and tourism experts who thronged the plateau for the WTD, the main concern is the thrust of a keynote address from Mr Franceesco Frangialli, the UN World Tourism Organisation Secretary-General.
Frangialli challenges stakeholders to brace themselves for the challenge of climate change.
Noting that tourism cuts across a whole range of economic and social activities, he urges stakeholders to tackle its development side-by-side with the challenges posed by its impact on the natural turf.
“Our policies must promote sustainable tourism that is sensitive to the environment, especially the climate,’’ he says, while urging the stakeholders to change their habits toward renewable energy.
For the Minister of State for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Dr Alilu Idi-Hong, the WTD is aimed at creating global awareness on the significance of tourism to economic development, as well as international understanding of world peace and universal respect for human rights.
Idi-Hong identifies global warming as the major hazard arising from emissions of carbon dioxide.
The minister notes that such emissions have continued to deplete the ozone layer of the atmosphere, resulting in many disasters around the world.
When you have disasters, you cannot get tourists,’’ he says.
According to him, ensuring a good climate is crucial to tourism because tourists are usually attracted to only areas with kind climates.
Toward this end, he says government is doing ‘’a lot’’ to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the release of industrial carbon particles into the atmosphere.
“There are also strong grounds to be optimistic that we can tackle climate change as practical solutions and technologies already exist for a sustainable energy sector and energy security.’’
He says that government is also working toward a low carbon economy as it is vital to the wellbeing of a nation.
For Taraba Gov. Danbaba Suntai, the WTD marks the beginning of a ‘’concerted and practical national endeavour toward restoring the right balance to Nigeria ‘s ecosystem.
“We must do everything possible to tackle the climate change challenge by checking the trend toward global warming,’’ he says.
Suntai wants the National Assembly to enact a law that will make individuals and companies pay for carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere.
According to him, such a step is pertinent because developing nations are more vulnerable to the consequences of climate change because of their dependence on climate-sensitive sectors.
He also calls on government at all levels and other stakeholders in the tourism sector to take practical steps to check human activities that tend to increase greenhouse gas emissions which can damage the ecosystem.
Noting that Taraba is essentially rural and therefore not a significant contributor to the greenhouse gas emissions, the governor says that the state is nevertheless affected by the global climate change and its impact on the nation’s tourism industry.
To encourage tourism while keeping a tab on the environment, Suntai calls for a strong partnership between the government and the private sector.
Analysts, while agreeing with Suntai, advise stakeholders to make the protection of the environment a priority as tourism and good environment have a symbiotic relationship.
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