Some scholars have called on stakeholders in the creative sector to embrace ‘digital cultural tourism’ and greater investment in the industry as tools for economic growth and cultural preservation.
The scholars made the call on Wednesday in Lagos at the end of a two-day international conference organised by the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation (CBAAC).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CBAAC organised the conference in collaboration with the Faculty of Arts, UNILAG, and the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies (IADS).
The event has the theme, ‘Cultural Tourism, Creative Economy and Sustainable Development in Africa’.
A scholar at the Department of Linguistics, African and Asian Studies, UNILAG, Dr Adedoyinsola Eleshin, said that language was regarded as a crucial aspect of tourism before now because of its role in communication between tourists and locals.
Eleshin, however, said that in recent times, language has become the centre of digital tourism.
According to her, digital cultural tourism uses platforms and technologies to promote and preserve indigenous cultures, languages and traditions while providing economic opportunities for the communities.
She said the future of tourism lies in physical travel and immersive digital experiences driven by content creators, who she described as digital tour guides.
“Digital travel has become the reality of many people these days as it can be used for relaxation, entertainment, and education,” she said.
She expressed concern over the tendency to dilute or modernise names and concepts in digital content.
Eleshin said most digital tour guides create cultural content in Nigerian Indigenous languages and English, which often risks losing the originality, roots, and tradition of the tourist destinations.
Citing an example of a particular kind of Yoruba cap, she said, “I do not expect you to call this a cap but ‘Abeti Aja’ because in translating to English, you will say a cap that looks like the ear of a dog.
“Other words include garri, referred to as cassava flakes; akara, bean cake, and moi-moi, bean pudding.”
Eleshin urged creatives to create content to meet the needs of those who tour digitally, adding that language is an integral part of the culture and should go together.
She recommended funding research centres and academic programmes focused on digital tourism to sustain the growing niche.
Also, Dr Christabel Aba Sam, a lecturer in the Department of English at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, said that literature, film, music and other creative sectors were essential tools for cultural awakening and economic independence across Africa.
Tracing the historical roots of Pan-Africanism to the intellectual legacies of pioneers such as Martin Delaney and Edward Blyden, Aba Sam described the movement as a response to the shared history of slavery and colonial rule.
“Pan-Africanism is a call to minimise Euro-American influences so Africa can thrive.
“The creative industry involves sectors that produce intellectual products of cultural value and essence based on creativity and imagination,” she said.
She urged the creatives on various platforms, including film, television, radio, literary writers, music, design, and advertisement, to minimise Euro-American influences on cultural heritage.
Aba Sam further urged stakeholders to create digital avenues to compete with platforms like Netflix so they could correct ideological distortions between African traditional culture and Western pop culture.
NAN also reports that the event, which was a gathering of stakeholders, including scholars, culture custodians, artists, and policymakers, was aimed at deliberating on Africa’s cultural and economic future.