It is all colour and glamour across the destinations today September 27th as countries and people of the world roll out drums to celebrate the World Tourism Day (WTD)2026.
The celebration, which has been observed since 1980, puts tourism on global spotlight as stakeholders and the international community commemorate WTD in the light of the importance of tourism to global peace, economy and development today.
As of 2025, tourism and travel industry contributed a record $USD11.6 trillion to the global economy, accounting for 9.8 percent of the world economy, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council.
The industry also supported 366 million jobs worldwide, which equals about one in every ten jobs globally, while being projected to contribute $USD12 trillion in 2026 and $USD16 trillion by 2034.
The above are top among the reasons Skal International Nigeria took advantage of the celebration to spotlight the country’s tourism potential.
The Nigeria chapter of the world’s largest professional organisation of tourism leaders, took this year’s celebration a notch higher with a specially curated familiarization trip to Badagry, a Lagos border town, which is better known for its slave trade history and relics.
But the trip also did not dwell much in the past, it highlighted the enormous tourism potential of Badagry, how the potential, hugely untapped, can turn things around and push Badagry to a world-class destination.
Yet, the familiarization trip was special as it not only commemorated the 2026 WTD, it most importantly, hosted for the first time ever, André Hayes, world president of Skål International, who was on his way to the 85th Skål International World Congress 2026, scheduled for September 29- October 2, 2026 at Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa.
With the presence of Hayes, the Skal International Nigeria chapter’s WTD 2026, which was themed,
‘Roots, Royalty and Flavors: A Historical and Cultural Journey Through Badagry’, was all about fun, friendship in the spirit of Skal, and networking.
The full day trip, which commenced from two take off points: City Mall and Ikeja Mall at 8:00am, witnessed excitement across board until late evening when the tour buses headed back to Lagos metropolis with the satiated members.
Dressed in their Skal blue t-shirts, the members, who run thriving businesses in the tourism and travel industry, were elated at embarking on the trip.
From city tours, museum visits, community engagements, boat cruise, walk in slave routes and to eating with the locals, the trip lived up to their expectations.
The first point of call, on arriving Badagry by road, was the Badagry Heritage Museum, which is located on Lander Road, Marina, Badagry, where the Zangbeto Masquerade, entertained the visitors, welcoming them to the ancient town, while offering them a piece of culture and tradition of the people.
At the museum, which is located in the former administrative building of British District Officer, Peter Oliade-Mesewaku, the curator, noted that the building was constructed in 1863, and converted into a museum in 2002.
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He guided the Skal International members through the eight galleries of the museum, amid trailing the history of slave trade.
Original slave trade objects like manacles and shackles bore witness of the inhuman trade, while replicas of slave ships offer more insights of the era.
He also took the visitors through conditions of the slave in the Americas, the abolition, freedom and post slavery era.
The visitors got many in sober reflection and mood. But the earlier warning by the curator not to bear grudges, helped them to recover afterwards.
From the museum, the visitors went for food tourism at Iya Alajogun Compound, where 73-year-old Iya Alajogun made Ajogun, the famous Badagry biscuit. Of course, the visitors learnt, had a taste and took home a piece of the heritage.
Another exciting stop was at the Agia Tree Monument, the spot where Christianity was first preached in Nigeria in 1842. Again, the tour guide took the visitors through faith and history combined in one spot.
Many, especially the Chritians among the visitors, took pictures at the spot, which now has improved fittings and infrastructure for tourists’ comfort.
At the Vlekete Slave Market Museum, the visitors were taken through the spiritual side of the slave trade business as lots of sacrifices were made to appease the goddess before the slaves commence their journey to the slave ships.
One gory sight at the museum is the dungeon for the unsold slaves.
But the boat cruise to Gberefu Island to see the Point of No Return, was the highlight for many.
The cruise allowed the visitors to cross the lagoon and walk the path their ancestors took to the slave ships to the unknown land.
The about 10 minutes’ walk from the lagoon across Gberefu Island to the Point of No Return by the Atlantic Ocean shore was nostalgic as many keep reflecting on the sufferings of the slaves, their mindset at the moment, and the huge loss to Africa as most of them were able-bodied, very intelligent, and brave.
Getting to the Point of No Return called for more moody moments and powerful moments of remembrance as the edifice signaled the last hope of light, of life, of existence, of touch with ancestral home and sadly, goodbye to relatives they can never see again.
The Lagos State government is building a gigantic arch, far bigger than the Point of No Return to recreate the journeys of the slaves to their last point of sanity.
What seems hope is the plan by the Lagos State government to attract Nigerian and African diasporas in the Americas home through the ‘Door of Return’, a gigantic door by the Badagry waterfront to Gberefu Island.
The cruise allowed the visitors to cross the lagoon and walk the path their ancestors took to the slave ships to the unknown land.
The about 10 minutes’ walk from the lagoon across Gberefu Island to the Point of No Return by the Atlantic Ocean shore was nostalgic as many keep reflecting on the sufferings of the slaves, their mindset at the moment, and the huge loss to Africa as most of them were able-bodied, very intelligent, and brave.
Getting to the Point of No Return called for more moody moments and powerful moments of remembrance as the edifice signaled the last hope of light, of life, of existence, of touch with ancestral home and sadly, goodbye to relatives they can never see again.
But the visitors were relieved after encountering the ordeals at Point of No Return by juicy coconut sold by locals at the waterfront. The medical water and unripe seed, rich in vitamins, did the magic.
The visit culminated with a sumptuous local meal at a trendy restaurant in town, where the visitors tried local delicacies.
Speaking on his visit during the meal at the restaurant, the Skal International Global President, who earlier led a delegation to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Lagos State, where they were received by Bopo Oyekan-Ismaila, the permanent secretary, thanked the Nigerian chapter for having him again in the country. It has been 30 years since I have been here and I am delighted to be back,’ Hayes said in Badagry.
Hayes, who noted that he was on his way to Skal International World Congress in Mandela Bay, South Africa, noted that despite all the political situation, at the end of the day, all are colleagues. ‘We started our organisation based on one legitimate situation, which was all about being friends.
‘We need to go back to our roots and to focus on what we are. We are friends before anything else. And despite everything that is happening, not just here in the region, but all around the world, we are still friends,’ Hayes reaffirmed.
Considering the changing times, the global president urged the Nigerian chapter to embrace the change.
‘One of the things I am going to encourage you is that times have changed. The industry is changing, and for that reason we have to change as an organisation, but without losing our values, which is the most important aspect of it’.
He also confessed witnessing the true spirit of Skal among members of the Nigerian chapter.
Apart from the ones that I have seen in multiple locations at world conferences, I am walking out today with 43 new friends,’ he concluded.
Speaking at the full day event, Ademola Sanya, National President of Skål International Nigeria, noted that it was such a satisfying moment to have Skal’s world president visit members in Nigeria.
‘He has gone to a lot of places. I think it is imperative that he visits a country where the largest delegate at any congress comes from, which is Nigeria,’ Sanya said.
Reflecting on tourism, Sanya regretted that there is so much potential that is untapped, while calling for collaborations to develop tourism and make it count.
‘Today we visited Badagry. The potential from an outsider is much. From those of us that are in the tourism space, we have seen so much potential here that can be harnessed.
‘The same thing that people sell around the world and make lots of money from is lying fallow around the streets of Badagry. Let me be honest with you.
‘If I live in Badagry, we will have an association in Badagry that will be selling artefacts, things that relate to Badagry,’ Sanya noted.
For Chudi Aligwekwe, president, Lagos Chapter of Skål International, the host, the visit to Badagry was very unique considering that it witnessed the presence of Skal’s Global President, as well as timely as it marks World Tourism Day 2026.
He appreciated the global president for his visit, which he described as timely. He also noted that Nigeria is very important to Skal considering the huge membership as Lagos alone has over 90 members.
Speaking on tourism, he noted that all over the world, tourism is a big industry. ‘I encourage people who are in this space to try and belong to clubs that go beyond just making money like Skal.
‘It is not just that we are here as members, we are first of all friends because the main tenet of Skal is friendship first and you can do business after,’ he concluded.