Impact Of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency Towards The Development Of Tourism And Hospitality Industry In Nigeria

Aviation services play a vital role among other services in the tourism industry throughout the world. Hence, the main objective of this study is to find out the Impacts of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) towards the development of tourism and hospitality industry in Nigeria, these impact are economic impact, environmental impact and social impact. The aviation industry supports tourism and international business by providing the world"s only rapid worldwide transportation network.

Airlines transported 2.8 billion passengers and 47.6 million metric tonnes of air cargo in 2011, connecting the world"s cities with 36,000 routes. By providing these services, the aviation industry plays an important role in enabling economic growth and providing various economic, social and environmental benefits. Airspace management prevents mutual interference from all users of the airspace, facilitates air defense identification and accommodates the flow of all air traffic safely.

This research work will examine the challenges encounter by NAMA in the aviation industry and also provide possible solutions to the challenges. In furtherance, the research will also explain the economic, environmental and social impacts of Nigerian airspace management agency towards the development of tourism and hospitality industry Nigeria.

Introduction

Aviation is the science or practice of flying through the air in heavier-than-air machine. Aviation is one of the greatest and important unique inventions of man in the area of transportation. It is the most veritable means of transportation of people and goods around the globe. Other uniqueness includes expeditious circulation of vital assets, which members of international community treasure most, namely: information, money and properties. Aviation brings together people of different nationalities, creed and socioeconomic backgrounds more than any other industry worldwide. It fosters trade and commerce among various people of the world.

According to Dr. Assad Kataite, Council President of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) at the 33rd Session of ICAO in Montreal Canada in year 2001, "global transportation is a driver of economic development, a catalyst for business and tourism and a vehicle for social and cultural development worldwide"2 . So since 17 December 1903 near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina when a bicycle repairer Orville Wright propelled himself through the air a distance of 120ft the first powered flight3 in a heavier than-air aircraft known to human, the equivalent of 0.23 passenger-mile, the first such statistics recorded in the history of aviation, air transportation has been beneficial to man.

Crime on board aircraft border on terrorism, hijack or air piracy, assassination, bombing and so on which make flight unsafe. Violent crimes or unlawful acts in aviation have always posed great threat and challenge to international civil aviation5 . Additionally, deliberate shooting down of aircraft by nations that claimed their national airspace was trespassed on is inimical to flight safety6 . Moreover, civil aviation has been swept up in the wave of commercialization, 16 globalization and trans-nationalization, with implication for safety and security that have to be addressed.

Regulations for safety and security is under the Chicago convention, the responsibility of individual states, as ownership and operation of airlines, airports and air traffic control devolve from governments and cross-border involvement becomes more common, the need for seamless co-ordination beyond national and regional borders becomes even more fundamental7 . This study is built around the legal responsibilities of airspace managers (specifically the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency) for their own navigation, passengers and development of the tourism and hospitality industry.

Air transportation globally constitutes significant proportion of the nations" socio-economic system and development. It facilitates movement of people, goods and services thereby assists in generating contact and revenue on which economic, social and political progress of nations radiate. For example this 2006 Air France-KLM recorded great revenue increase in its fiscal quarter of over 11.9% that is 5.8 billion euros and added 25 extra frequencies 15 to its European destinations and British Airways" first quarter profit rose over 72% in increased travel from London4 . So air transport has done more than provide a carrier service, it has affected economic way of life, made changes in social and cultural viewpoints and had a hand in shaping the course of political history. Air transport industry contributes directly to the economy through its employment and revenue generation and indirectly by its purchase of goods and services from suppliers of the industry. There is urgent need for governments to develop the industry to meet international standard and requirement.

Development of this industry will enhance economic development of countries especially developing ones. Alas, this beautiful achievement of man is bedeviled by hazards. Law has to intervene to minimize the hazards by regulating air traffic operations, imposing duties and obligations on the various entities involved in air navigation. Besides, aviation has always been exploited by perpetrators of unlawful acts, whose trademark is terrorism. Aviation is constantly being targeted all over the world by terrorist groups and individuals who see it as the most effective avenue to propagate political views, plights and motives. It has always been very effective in gaining media attention and publicity for terrorism. Thus security and safety have been major aspect of concern, which cannot be ignored by the international community.

Statement Of Problem

It is axiomatic to point out here that despite the expansion and improvement of air travel in Nigeria since independence, the Nigerian airports so to say are still facing some challenges. Findings have shown that the first plane crash in Nigeria occurred on November 20, 1969 when a government-owned DC 10 aircraft on a flight from London crash landed in Lagos. It killed all 87 passenger and the crew on board. Since then similar tragic incident resulting in various air crash which has claimed a lot of lives have remained obvious in the aviation sector in Nigeria.

For over two decades, from 1990 to 2012 to mention but a few, Nigerian aviation sector, both civilian and military had witnessed a number of unfortunate calamities and deteriorations. In September 1992, a Hercules C -130, military plane crashed in Ejibgo, Lagos five minutes after take-off, in which 192 middle ranking and senior military officers perished. In November 1996, 142 people died when an ADC Boeing 727 plane plunged into a lagoon near Lagos, and in May 2002, an EAS Airline plane crashed in Kano killing 148 people and non-passengers on the ground. On 23 October 2005, a Bellview airline crashed immediately after take-off, killing all on board passenger, and in December 11, of the same year, many lives of young school children were lost when a Sosoliso airline - Flight 1145 crashed in Port Harcourt. In September 19, 2006, a military plane, Dornier 228 crashed at Mbakumu, Benue State, claiming the lives of 13 senior military officers (Osaremen, 2012:1). The most sorrowful was the recent Dana air crash of June 2012 claiming the lives of all 153 passenger on board and those in the comfort of their houses in Lagos just five minutes before landing.

All these boil down to lack of good practice in the aviation sector and not taking adequate measures in the maintenance of air craft and airline operators in the country. Regrettably, despite the pain and agonies, grief and the loss of lives associated with air mishaps, the usual way the federal government and the aviation sector attend to them shows lack of competence in the aviation sector and most likely to be caricatured in the real sense.

Having examined this, the government has finally realized that travel and tourism holds the key to the much-needed diversification of the economy and has been initiating measures to reposition the industry as an alternative source of foreign exchange. Through diversification, travel and tourism is expected to continue gaining recognition as an important tool for stimulating rapid economic growth in Nigeria (www.euromonitor.com/traveland-tourism). Nonetheless, more efforts are needed to develop this industry to match other African countries like Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa. Interestingly, there is a strong correlation between areas of high tourist movement and high airport traffic in Africa, which shows the increasingly mutually dependent state of air transport and tourism in modern economies. Airports in Africa that have traffic above 5 million passengers are linked to regions with well developed tourism sites and strong tourism arrivals. However, the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos (MMIA), which is no doubt located in the one-time capital of Nigeria and Nigeria"s commercial capital, recorded 6,748,290 traffic in 2011 alongside other airports in Africa which recorded theirs respectively.

However, the major problem of the airports boils down to the Federal Government"s attitude towards executing projects and the NAMA"s inability to monitor them properly to the end to achieve their desired goals and achieve the desired development of the tourism and hospitality industry. It is in lieu of this that the researcher covers the impact of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency towards the development of tourism and hospitality industry in Nigeria.

Objectives Of The Research

The main objective of this study is to assess the impact of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency towards the development of tourism and hospitality industry in Nigeria. Specifically, the study has the following objectives;

To ascertain the terminal/airport facilities of Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, as well as the present condition of the airport

To examine the operational activities of NAMA with the aim of achieving their overall tourist activities especially with international tourists in the country

To evaluate the role of NAMA in air travel and tourism in Nigeria

To identify the problems, challenges associated with air travel and tourism in Nigeria.

To proffer possible solutions to the problems for the future of air travel and NAMA

Research Questions

The following questions were formulated to guide the study;

What are the terminal/airport facilities of Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, as well as the present condition of the airport?

What are the operational activities of NAMA with the aim of achieving their overall tourist activities especially with international tourists in the country?

What is the role of NAMA in air travel and tourism in Nigeria?

What are the problems, challenges associated with air travel and tourism in Nigeria?

What are the possible solutions to the problems for the future of air travel and NAMA?

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