One of the best parts of being in the Tourism industry for many years is the people I meet. Our industry has an endless list of talented, hardworking, fun-loving and creative professionals. I decided to interview my friends and give you a peek into their lives and careers. Feel free to ask questions in the comments section, and I will follow-up with the guest interviewed. This week we hear from my friend Nnenna Fakoya- Smith from Nigeria. Nnnena and I both took an online course for entrepreneurs last year and we were the only 2 participants that were in the Tourism industry. We have gotten to know each other through social media – and hope to meet in person in 2020!
Tell us a bit about how you got started in the tourism industry.
Ekabo! Nnoo! Sannu! Hello! My name is Nnenna Fakoya-Smith, popularly known as Ajala Nene because I love to travel and explore destinations. I am a Tourism Promoter who uses my travel blog, tour broker skills and Tourism Business programs to promote the tourism potentials of Nigeria and Africa. I am also a Sustainable Tourism Campaigner who sees tourism as a tool for impacting the economy, environment, and local communities.
My first encounter with Tourism was when I did my final year university project on “Tourism Development in Nigeria”. I was shocked to discover that all the states in Nigeria don’t have just one…nor two but many tourist attractions that could generate income for them and the nation at large. Why wasn’t the government harnessing this opportunity? I wondered. This launched my journey into the Tourism industry. A few weeks after graduation, I was fortunate to get a job as a Tour Consultant at one of the top Tour Operating Companies in Nigeria. There I learned the ropes behind the Tourism value chain. In 2008, I left the industry to work in the oil and gas but returned after 8 years (about 2 years ago) to focus solely on contributing towards the development of the Nigerian and African Tourism industry.
What is your current job and what are your primary responsibilities?
On October 2017, I launched my Tourism company, Nene-Uwa Hub Ltd. We promote and market tourist destinations, travel packages and other travel services. We also organize programs such as workshops, summits, conferences and online courses to promote Sustainable Tourism Development in Nigeria and Africa. You can learn more about us HERE.
What are some of the changes you have seen since you began your career?
Technology. Technology has made it easier for people to have better travel experiences and also helped tourism businesses to leverage social media to build their client base. However, new tech platforms and applications keep springing up every day and it can be hard to catch up. But it is important to stay updated with the new technology trends especially in the Travel and Tourism space.
What tourism trends are you seeing that will impact your job and how you work in the next 2 years?
Social media has become a must-have platform to build any business. It’s essential for any business to learn how to effectively leverage social media platforms and technology, in general, to help them thrive. As a Tourism Promoter, I am constantly building my knowledge in Tourism E-Marketing so that I can leverage on social media to promote and market Tourism products and services.
It’s vacation time – where do you go?
Most times, I visit local tourist destinations with my locality, that’s Lagos, Nigeria. Sometimes my family and I visit any destination outside Nigeria.
What is your favorite app and tell us a bit about it.
Truth be told, I hardly use apps unless I need to use them for a specific issue like editing photos for social media etc. So at the moment, I really don’t have a favorite app!
What is your favorite tradeshow and why?
Honestly, the only tradeshow I have attended is Africa’s Travel Indaba held annually in South Africa. But I look forward to attending other Tourism and Travel tradeshows like World Travel Market (WTM) and FITUR
What advice do you have for someone just getting started in the tourism industry?
Be passionate about the tourism space, if not you might get frustrated and leave. I usually advise people who are looking for a ‘get-rich quick’ business to not bother venturing into this industry because it is long term investment. Work now, see results later. Without genuine passion for this space, you might not last.
How can I help you welcome more visitors in 2020?
- Check out my free resources section at The Tourism Pro Academy.
- Schedule a free 15-minute call with me, or schedule a 1-hour call for a more in-depth discussion about your 2020 plans.
- Hire me to speak at your tourism conference or event. Reply to this email and I will follow up.
- Looking for help in creating a Strategic Sales plan for your attraction? Reply to this email and let’s chat.
- DMOs: Let’s talk about my Online Training program for your partners! Every month I present on a topic that will help increase your partner’s professionalism and understanding of this industry.
- Can I ask a favor? Could you forward this post to at least one person that would benefit from reading it? Thank you!
Thank you for the feature, Sally 😊
You are welcome my friend!
and she nailed it… 👌🕺🏽. My tourism mum nailed it…. nice one