June 13, (THEWILL) – Manager of the Lakowe Golf Club, Femi Olagbenro, has said that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the resort’s best kept secret, which also opened up the tourism businesses across Nigeria, especially Lagos.
Olagbenro, who is also a professional golfer, said that border closures, restrictions on travel, among others, gave room for tourists to discover more places of interest, particularly in Lagos where there are many lifestyle enthusiasts who enjoy tourism in all forms.
He noted that those who could not travel as a result of the pandemic became more interested in taking vacations within. “They were forced to look inward for places of interest of their choice within. We also run the hospitality wing here apart from the golf and the estates. All kinds of people, including celebrities have been visiting our facilities. This has not been happening before. “
Speaking with THEWILL, Olagbenro pointed out that many people believed the tourism industry had been hit by a catastrophe of such impact that might take some years to recover from.
He said the facility was embedded in 308 hectares of land. “We have 14 good lakes all within the facility. The lakes spread across 55 acres. These are some of the things that people never thought existed in Lagos until the corona virus pushed some of them to witness it.
“Hotel business is highly rated all over the world. The hotel business in Nigeria is also rated as one of the most expensive in the world.”
According to him, the COVID-19 pandemic experience cannot be overrated. The coronavirus brought a lot of appreciation for resort operators. They had their fair share in the business. Some people really did not know about Jara Beach, Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate. This project is one of the best kept secrets, but it is no longer a secret because COVID-19 opened it all for business.
He explained that during the lockdown everybody went indoors and nobody could come out to play golf. Hotels at some point were allowed to operate excluding their kitchens and others.
What the facility stands for
Describing what the Lakowe Lakes Resort really stands for, Olagbenro said, “It is a real estate company. It has an hotel section with limited rooms equipped with beautiful and well-designed cottages in the middle of a natural environment. There a few places in the country where you can see this kind of serene and rustic environment in which monkeys can be observed moving between trees and birds calling to each other as they flitted by. This is what people travel outside to go and enjoy, the kind of peace that is not traditionally woven in a city like Lagos. Lagos seems to be one of the most noisiest cities in the world though and when people come to Lakowe, they can enjoy that peace.
“A lot of writers come here to spend some time. Ordinarily they need to travel to enjoy the kind of peace they enjoy here and a natural environment where they sit and get inspiration to write and we have some of them who visited the facility. For them, it is cheaper than travelling abroad. I am getting the best result for myself and I don’t need to travel to Portugal or any of these countries to have this kind of experience.
“I know the kind of people we welcome every week day. Some of them book reservations and some visit every two weeks in a month. They always want to be here and because they enjoy the experience.
The driving force
“The scenery drives in people to Lakowe which the golf have. The golf course brings that to life, and its no much about the birds, the bathroom in the hotel but the environment which golf course projects.
Outdoor activities at Lakowe Lakes Golf Club
“We do horse riding, boat cruising, mini hiking, riding bicycle, boat fishing and other out-door activities.
“Lakowe Lakes is a golf and country estate. We don’t sell homes, but we sell lifestyle. It is filled with lifestyle. We use attractions, such as the golf course and the sporting facility. Beyond bricks and mortar, Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate is totally different from the regular housing estates. We live in the big garden and even if you bought a one bed apartment, two bed apartment and you’re buying homes in Lakowe Lake because of the location and lifestyles, which is living within nature.”
Golf has a very big share in tourism. Not everybody appreciates travel, taxing in a hotel, it depends on where you’re on the social ladder in terms of income”
According to Olagbenro, golf is one key part of the lifestyle component of the estate. It is an old sport dating back to the 15th century. Golf is not the most popular sport, but it is one of the best. It is elitist and not cheap. It is not a street sport like football, basketball and so on. The social aspect of golf is way higher than any other sport.
About the Author
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
