… Says Tourism Icon, Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye
Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye said that, he is constantly amazed by nature and how it consistently demonstrates that the impossible was possible.
He noted that modern tourists crave a different kind of thrill. They want a glimpse into the extraordinary. Their insatiable curiosity, a psychological phenomenon rooted in man’s inherent need for novelty, has given rise to a trend in the tourism industry that involves capitalizing on unexplained natural phenomena.
In this regard, he spoke about the fact that tourists were flocking to the Maldives to witness a phenomena where microorganisms light up the sea and seashore) into a veritable sea of stars at night.
This has helped to boost the Maldives income from tourism to US $1.4 billion in 2019 although its tourism income suffered during the COVID period.
Otunba Akinboboye also spoke about the petrifying waters of Lake Natron in Tanzania. The lake’s high salinity petrifies animals and turns flesh to rock, leaving behind macabre sculptures of once-living flamingos, zebras, and even the occasional bird.
He noted that, in 2024, Tanzania welcomed 1.8 million tourists and earned US $3 billion as revenue. He attributed this to that country’s ability to offer tourists a variety of experiences. These experiences include the opportunity to see unexplained natural phenomena like a mountain in Africa with a snow covered peak and a lake that changes living things into statutes in a manner that reminds one of Medusa.
Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye then spoke about a phenomena he had witnessed repeatedly over the past 40 years and which he had used to create the tourism experience he was now presenting as Tourism Product of the Week No 35.
He mentioned that, at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, there is a fresh water lagoon that traverses one side of the Resort and which is separated from the Atlantic Ocean by about 250 meters of sandy beach.
These two bodies of water, one fresh and the other salty, usually existed separately from each other and had very different compositions. The ocean is saline, it’s density is slightly higher and its electrical conductivity is much higher than fresh water. The two bodies of water also support very different aquatic life.
However and despite their different composition and the distance between them, during a specific period of the year but in an unpredictable manner, the waters of the lagoon burst through the sandy barrier separating it from the ocean and kiss the ocean waters in a display that visibly shows the difference in these two bodies of water.
Over a short period of time the lagoon’s race to the ocean’s salty embrace carves out a gully through which it’s gushes creating rapids and rushing waters that foam and glisten as they hurry to the ocean.
Eventually and despite its large size, all the water in the lagoon empties into the ocean leaving its aquatic life gasping behind and creating the fear that the lagoon has been now replaced by a permanent sandy hollow.
Then suddenly, as all hope is disappearing, it can be observed that fresh water is once again seeping into the lagoon from the side furthest from the ocean. The gully that formed the lagoon’ route to the sea starts to close and within a period of 24 – 36 hours everything returns to normal.
Once again a lagoon and an ocean exist side by side but separately creating the impression that the two will never meet.
Otunba Akinboboye explained that he leveraged off this phenomena to create a unique experience for guests at La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort which involves music, dance and other entertainment and activities.
These activities included a mini fishing festival where guests can join the nearby villagers who come to the lagoon to catch the fishes left behind by the rapidly receding waters. Guests also have an opportunity to ‘ride the rapids’ as the lagoon waters rush through the gully on their journey to the sea.
To ensure that guests can embrace this experience, the breakfast buffet is normally set up close to the phenomena so guests have the opportunity to view the scene, first hand, while taking selfies and enjoying the atmosphere.
I was fortunate to be at the Resort when this phenomena unexpectedly occurred and woke up to the sound of rushing water and the sight of millions of gallons of water pouring out from the lagoon into the sea.
I joined other guests at a breakfast buffet served in a sandy area close to sea but at a safe distance from the rushing water. I observed other guests laughing and enjoying the sights on offer.
Dancers and singers performed specially choreographed African songs and dances to the delight of those watching. Children also took advantage of the low water levels in the lagoon to attempt to catch fish.
I truly saw for myself what Otunba Olawanle Akinboboye meant when he spoke about taking advantage of our advantages.
I am sure in Nigeria we have many natural phenomena that can carefully be curated, and can form a valuable addition to our tourism portfolio and ensure that tourism takes it proper place, as a major revenue earner for Nigeria.
