Abuja Airport Closure: Blessing to HBC Resort, Others
TJustina Uzo
he recent closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, for comprehensive repair of its runway and diversion of flights to Kaduna airport might have opened a new window of business opportunity in the popular north central state.
Tourism operators in its neighbour – Jaji, Makurdi, Katsina, Kafanchan and Jos – have also quickly latched on the increased population of travellers to boost trade and revenue.
Various tourist attractions in Jos, Nigeria’s hub of tin-mining, such as Jos Museum, Jos zoo, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru; Nigerian Agricultural School and Health Body (HBC) Resort, in recent times, have continually recorded a rise in the number of visitors or travellers who come to make a stop at the health farm (HBC) in order to reduce stress. Jos, also described as “Land of peace and Tourism”, some of the visitors said, became their Judith Ogedengbe
fascination because of its temperate weather, friendly cultures, amazing wildlife and scenic beauty.
Managing Director of HBC Resort, a rendezvous of health enthusiasts and business travellers, Mrs. Judith Ogedengbe, while speaking to our correspondent on the effect of stress to health of travellers who arrive Kaduna airport and set forth for another journey stated:
“As more people will be travelling from Kaduna airport to other parts of the country, it means they will have to cope with stress. They need to relax because if they don’t have time for themselves, they may have health issues”.
Meanwhile, tourists worry about the security of Jos because of its history of ethnic clashes but Ogedengbe allays their pathological fears: “We had pockets of crises, but that was in the past. Jos is safe now”, she joyfully announced.
Security issues notwithstanding, places of tourists’ interest as at last week, continued to play host to visitors. Like mecca of sorts, maybe because of its facilities - suites, a spa, a gymnasium, restaurant that serves full meals, assorted drinks and cocktails – was HBC Resort whose private areas for meetings and a concierge service are grand enough to make it one of the “Top 100 Best Hotels in Nigeria’, a recent award it got from Africa Travel Magazine.
But the character of BHC Resort as an organisation which offers critical health services and wellness programmes has attracted many tourists to its picturesque highland if the response of one of them, Ibrahim Sanni, a soldier is considered.
He told our correspondent, “I am at the HBC Resort to improve my health because it has facilities for recuperation, colon irrigation (washing of large intestine), hot massage, acqua therapy and sliming programme”. Obese Sanni might have come for slimming programme because of the new rule that Nigerian soldiers must be trim and fit or get discharged unceremoniously.
What is seemingly a bonanza to tourist operators in Kaduna and its neighbours may last for the almost two months the repair of the Abuja airport terminal is billed to take. Hopefully, many will remember the exercise as a bonus to tourism. HBC Resort is situated at Vom Road, Jos.