Osa Mbonu-Amadi, the Tourists Club International president has announced the establishment of two new tourism destinations in Badagry, Lagos State: the Tourists Club International Art Gallery and the Tourists Club International Forest Reserve.
The announcement was made on Sunday to commemorate World Tourism Day 2026, themed “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism”. The global observance highlights the growing influence of digital platforms and artificial intelligence on how travellers discover destinations, plan journeys and experience tourism. El Salvador is hosting the official global celebration.
Mbonu-Amadi said the initiative represented the organisation’s practical response to the global theme.
“The establishment of the Tourists Club International Art Gallery and the Tourists Club International Forest Reserve is our practical response to the 2026 World Tourism Day theme,” Mbonu-Amadi said. “We are using documentation, digital visibility and responsible tourism development to ensure that Badagry’s artistic, historical and natural assets are not overlooked in the rapidly changing tourism landscape.”
He added that the destinations belonged not only to the club but also to the people of Badagry and future generations who deserved to experience, understand and protect them. According to the organisation, the initiative aims to document, preserve and promote destinations that might otherwise remain invisible in the digital tourism ecosystem.
The Tourists Club International Art Gallery is expected to become the first purpose-built art gallery in Badagry, an ancient town renowned for its historical, cultural and tourism significance. The gallery is being established primarily to provide a secure, appropriate home for important artworks acquired by the organisation in recent years.
The facility will serve as a platform for cultural preservation, artistic appreciation, tourism education and digital storytelling. Although many art galleries in Lagos are concentrated on Lagos Island and Victoria Island, the growth of virtual tourism and AI-assisted travel planning has altered traditional views on destination locations.
A destination can attract local and international attention from anywhere, provided it is properly documented, digitally accessible and connected to the wider tourism ecosystem. The organisation said it will document the gallery, its collections and the stories behind the artworks to make Badagry’s artistic heritage more discoverable to visitors, researchers and AI-powered travel platforms.
The Tourists Club International Forest Reserve is a small but important natural area in Badagry and the only surviving forested space in the host community. The forest provides a habitat for a colony of monkeys whose natural environment is increasingly threatened by unsustainable development.
The reserve reflects the organisation’s commitment to developing tourism in a manner that protects nature and respects host communities. The site offers opportunities for environmental education, nature-based tourism, biodiversity conservation and public awareness of the need to preserve Nigeria’s remaining urban and peri-urban forests.
“Through appropriate documentation, responsible visitor management and digital promotion, the forest reserve can become part of a broader conversation about sustainable tourism and the protection of threatened natural habitats,” the organisation said.
Travellers increasingly rely on digital platforms and AI tools to determine where to go, what to see and where to stay. The organisation stressed the importance of documenting destinations if they are to appear in results generated by digital travel tools.
The club is working to place Badagry’s cultural and natural assets within the digital information landscape through verified descriptions, visual documentation, location data and narratives reflecting the host community’s voice. The approach aligns with the central question of World Tourism Day 2026: who benefits from the digital transformation of tourism and who determines which destinations travellers see.
Beneficiaries should include Nigerian communities, artists, conservationists, guides, small tourism businesses and culture-bearers. The initiative will promote inclusive tourism narratives by giving visibility to emerging attractions and community-based projects, rather than focusing exclusively on established commercial destinations.
The organisation plans to unveil the art gallery and forest reserve to the public at a date to be announced. The unveiling forms part of continuing efforts to promote international tourism, peace and universal friendship, develop and preserve tourism sites, disseminate reliable information and encourage respect for host community heritage.
Mbonu-Amadi said the initiative would help place Badagry more firmly on Nigeria’s tourism map.
“Artificial intelligence can only recommend destinations that have been properly documented and made visible,” Mbonu-Amadi said. “By establishing these two sites, TCI is helping to place Badagry more firmly on Nigeria’s tourism map while promoting cultural preservation, environmental responsibility and community participation.”
Athekame Kenneth is a politics, economy, and finance reporter whose work is anchored in sharp investigative storytelling. He brings analytical depth to every piece, drawing on a strong academic foundation that includes a degree in Economics, an MBA in International Trade, and a minor in Petroleum Economics from Lagos State University, Ojo. His reporting blends rigorous research with a keen eye for hidden truths, delivering stories that illuminate power, policy, and the forces shaping everyday lives.
