Broadcasting
Luxury Travel is Heating Up in 2023: Here Are 4 Reason Why
Trends indicate that luxury tourism and travel around the world will see considerable growth from 2023 onwards. This as both local but predominantly international travellers with a sense of adventure look to explore new sights with the addition of added pampering, care and all the finishings.
Research shows that, globally, travellers are keen to spend more on trips than ever before due to a long period in which no travel was possible.
Interestingly, it’s not only well-heeled executives and the like looking for luxury travel. Trends indicate that middle-class travellers are increasingly interested in spending more money on travel as they carve out itineraries that lean towards ‘premium leisure’.
To unpack this phenomenon more, Shaun Wheeler of the newly opened Radisson Blu Mosi-Oa-Tunya, Livingstone Resort, Zambia, gives insight into why this type of travel is back in demand.
Long, luxurious stays
Entrepreneurs, executives and leaders at the top of their industries are increasingly opting for longer self-care holidays that include not only holistic attention to body, mind and spirit, but also experiences that allow guests to dive deeper into a destination.
“Guests no longer want a quick in-and-out holiday,” notes Wheeler. “They want to stay for longer so they can truly enjoy their downtime in a destination. And a hotel such as ours is perfectly positioned to meet these needs. Not only do guests of Radisson Blu Mosi-Oa-Tunya, Livingstone Resort get to enjoy the resort itself, but we are located close to some of the top attractions in Zambia such as Victoria Falls and the historic city of Livingstone, making it easy for guests to see the best that the country has to offer during their stay.”
Complete disconnection
Life is busy enough and those opting for a luxury holiday want to feel as though they are far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Wheeler explains: “Luxury holidays are increasingly popular. This type of break allows guests to disconnect from everyday life. At a luxury resort or hotel, guests are able to choose from a range of activities that will almost force them to disconnect from the pressures of the day-to-day. For example, we give guests the chance to immerse themselves in unique on and off the river adventure activities, from Victoria Falls bridge activities, water rafting, canoeing and game drives to helicopter rides, river cruises and more.”
Five-star experiences away from the crowds
As a result of the pandemic, travellers are considering options they haven’t looked at before – and tending towards remote destinations away from the madding crowds and destinations that they have all seen before.
“Unless you’re visiting specifically to see Victoria Falls, Zambia is still a rather niche destination for many global travellers,” says Wheeler. “This is all good news for exclusive resorts such as ours. Unless you live in Southern Africa, Zambia can feel a bit exotic for your every-day Western traveller who might have a different idea of the country in mind before they get here. Once here, however, and once they experience our resort, they see that this is luxury travel at its finest. You are able to enjoy a holiday here and feel as though you are in an undiscovered location.”
It’s about doing something different
In a world where everyone has London and New York City on their ’must-see ‘ lists, there’s something to be said for those who venture to uncommon destinations. And luxury travellers know this. Being able to say that you’ve been to a top destination that is almost a best-kept secret makes travellers feel as though they are part of an exclusive club.
Wheeler concludes: “While luxury travel is about enjoying the finer things in life, it’s also great to be able to say we’ve been somewhere our friends and family have not. And what better location than a top luxury resort in Zambia? Not only do visitors get that five-star treatment, but they get to snap the Instagram photos their friends don’t have and they get the bragging rights, too!”
Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria (BON) has established six committees to help strengthen and modernize the country’s broadcasting industry.
The committees will focus on content creation, skills development, digital transformation, sustainability, policy and commercial opportunities
The initiative aims to support industry growth and improve collaboration between broadcasters, regulators and media experts
The official launch recently, was led by Tony Akiotu, president, BON and attended by media professionals, program directors, former journalists and heads of specialized media organizations.
The event brought together several prominent figures in Nigeria’s media industry, including veteran broadcaster and trainer Bimbo Oloyede, Tony Uyah of M4S TV, Kingsley Uranta of Channels Television, Ismael Sani of Platinum TV and Ibrahim Shehu of Trust TV.
Together, they are expected to help drive innovation and support the growth of Nigeria’s broadcasting sector.
According to Akiotu, the committees are intended both to help shape industry policy and to provide a forum for dialogue between BON and broadcasting experts.
Akiotu said the ad hoc committees were intended to strengthen BON’s work and ensure that the umbrella body for Nigeria’s broadcasters played a more direct and meaningful role in developing the country’s broadcasting sector.
The six committees reflect the sector’s main priorities. The first focuses on collaboration and innovation to promote content creation.
The second is dedicated to training and talent development, while the third focuses on industry sustainability by improving the sector’s long-term financial viability.
A fourth committee will focus on digital transformation and work with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on regulatory issues.
The remaining two committees will oversee public policy advocacy and the development of sports and commercial rights to help broadcasters increase revenue and attract more investment. Together, the committees are expected to guide BON’s efforts to modernize and strengthen Nigeria’s broadcasting industry.
The committees, chaired by members of BON’s General Assembly and supported by the organization’s Secretariat, have an initial 12-month mandate that may be renewed if necessary.
They are required to submit a progress report within three months and implement approved recommendations within the following six months.
The arrangement is intended to ensure close oversight and the timely implementation of their work.
Akiotu also reminded committee members that Nigeria pioneered television broadcasting in Africa and urged them to carry out their work with greater effectiveness and efficiency.
Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) says it is investigating about 34 tertiary institutions over allegations that they failed to refund students whose tuition fees were paid twice under the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.
The Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, disclosed this during an interview on Arise Television.
Sawyerr said the agency had deployed a five-member investigative team, including operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and internal auditors, to examine the allegations.
According to him, the investigation was prompted by numerous complaints received from affected students.
“As of right now, there are 34 institutions that we are looking at closely with respect to this issue,” he said.
Sawyerr explained that the double payment issue arose because President Bola Tinubu directed that the student loan scheme commence in the middle of an academic session instead of at the beginning.
He said the decision compelled many students to pay their tuition fees to meet registration deadlines while awaiting approval of their loan applications.
“What happened is that a lot of schools got double payment; some from the students and some from us,” he said.
“The refund process is entirely out of our hands. It is the recipient of the double payments that is obliged to make refunds to the students.”
The NELFUND boss noted that many students had borrowed money from family members, friends and other sources to pay their tuition with the expectation of receiving refunds once the loans were disbursed.
He said while some institutions had promptly refunded affected students, others had failed to do so.
“Some have been very good at this. Others haven’t been so good at it,” Sawyerr said.
“I reserve judgement on the intentionality around it because, for some of them, they just didn’t have the process to make refunds.”
Sawyerr disclosed that NELFUND was exploring a tokenised payment system that would enable students to authorise tuition payments directly to their institutions, thereby reducing the likelihood of duplicate payments.
He said the agency deliberately chose not to disburse tuition loans directly to students to minimise the risk of fund diversion.
“Paying the funds to the students could really lead to the temptation for them to divert and do other things,” he said.
The managing director, however, acknowledged that NELFUND lacked the statutory powers to compel institutions to refund students or prosecute officials found culpable.
He added that many frustrated students had submitted complaints not only to NELFUND but also to anti-corruption agencies, including the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Sawyerr also expressed concern over increases in tuition fees by some institutions following the introduction of the student loan scheme.
He said NELFUND had declined to pay institutions that increased their tuition fees beyond acceptable levels.
“Some schools, because they get paid easily, started to put up their fees. We refused, point blank, to pay institutions who had hiked their fees beyond a certain level,” he said.
He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to investigating every reported irregularity and strengthening the implementation of the student loan programme through continuous monitoring and internal reviews.
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