By: Manoah Kikekon
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| ATPN South West |
Hon. Apata Samson Nunayon, The National Vice President of the Association of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (ATPN) for the South West Region, in commemoration of World Tourism Day 2026, has made a passionate appeal for a decisive industry shift toward digital innovation and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Centering his message on this year's global theme, “Digital Agenda & Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” Hon. Apata emphasized that emerging technologies present a historic window to redefine destination management, enhance operational efficiency, and unlock unprecedented economic potential across Nigeria and the broader African continent.
Speaking on the significance of the 2026 celebration, Hon. Apata noted that digital transformation is no longer an optional luxury for tourism stakeholders, but an absolute necessity for survival and global competitiveness. From automated online bookings and digital transactions to intelligent destination marketing, technology continues to reshape how modern travellers interact with the world.
“Tourism is entering a new era in which digital intelligence will increasingly define how destinations compete, how businesses grow and how travellers experience the world. We must not merely observe this transformation; we must actively participate in shaping it,” Hon. Apata stated.
He further challenged governments, private sector operators, and destination managers to formulate robust digital strategies that seamlessly integrate emerging technological frameworks into everyday tourism planning and service delivery.
Highlighting AI as the core frontier of modern innovation, the ATPN chief pointed out multiple ways smart systems can optimize the tourism value chain. According to him, intelligent solutions can significantly improve: Smart Destination Management: Utilizing real-time data to track visitor patterns, mitigate overcrowding, and optimize infrastructural planning.
Personalized Visitor Experiences: Providing travellers with customized itineraries, multilingual translation tools, and accessible destination data.
Enhanced Productivity: Streamlining enterprise operations, automated reservations, and customer communications for small and medium-sized tourism businesses (SMTEs).
Strategic Market Research: Utilizing advanced analytics to forecast travel trends, target international demographics, and guide investor decisions.
Despite these immense advantages, Hon. Apata cautioned that technological integration must be balanced with responsible data governance, strict cybersecurity, and human oversight.
“Artificial Intelligence should enhance human creativity, professionalism and hospitality, not diminish them. The essence of tourism remains human connection, cultural discovery and memorable experiences. Technology must serve these values,” he added.
Addressing the digital disparities across global markets, the South West Vice President called for deliberate investments in digital literacy, affordable broadband connectivity, and technical training for rural operators and grassroots tourism assets. He stressed that an inclusive digital agenda must protect emerging economies from falling further behind established global hubs.
Focusing on Nigeria and Africa, Hon. Apata expressed strong optimism that digital storytelling, intelligent branding, and online distribution networks can project the continent's rich cultural heritage and natural landscapes onto the global map.
He urged regional leaders, tech innovators, and academic institutions to forge strategic partnerships that align local realities with international standards.