Tourist Visits To Nigeria Plummet After Synagogue Tragedy

By Ihechukwu Njoku







Tourist Visits To Nigeria Plummet After Synagogue Tragedy







Several Nigerian media houses reported today how the tragic collapse



of a building at The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) has



already begun to have an adverse affect on Nigerian tourism and its



attendant businesses.











According to a statement issued by the Airport Car Hire Association of



Nigeria (ACHAN) of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja,



Lagos, and signed by the chairman, Summonu Oseni, business slowed down



immediately after the building collapsed and has not picked up as



foreign visitors have dramatically reduced.







“The incident does not affect The SCOAN alone but also Nigeria’s



economy,” the statement said. “What happened is a big blow to the



economy of the nation, most especially, the airport as most of the



tourists to Nigeria are coming to visit The SCOAN. I mean, six out of



every 10 tourists come to Nigeria visit The SCOAN.”







He described The SCOAN as a positive ‘brand’ for Nigeria. “The SCOAN



is a big brand for Nigeria and a lot of revenues are generated by



those involved in the tourism chain, especially members of ACHAN, who



provide nothing less than 35 buses and equally a large number of small



vehicles to move these visitors on a daily basis.”







According to the statement, Nigeria should encourage the ‘SCOAN brand’



and not carry out malicious campaigns of calumny founded on



unsubstantiated information about it.







“We pray that this will not annoy the pastor and founder of the



church, Prophet T.B. Joshua to relocate to another country, as other



countries would like to have a man like him, who would boost tourism



for their nation.”







According to PM News, airlines are also feeling the economic impact of



the incident. An airline operator said that airlines such as South



African Airways, Arik Air, Aero Contractors, Air France and Lufthansa



Airways incurred the biggest losses from the reduction in spiritual



tourists to The SCOAN.







In the aftermath of the tragedy, Joshua had already declared his



intention to visit South Africa on a monthly basis “to meet people



from South Africa and other nations who find South Africa easier to



visit, in memory of martyrs of faith”.







via nigerianeye