So, the following year, she launched Skies and Seas Vacations, a travel agency aimed at the Nigerian Instagram crowd, that is, people who like to take cute photos by the beach and make video videos. 'themselves in dimly lit restaurants eating seafood pasta, shrimp in rice, shrimp. in soup, shrimp on mountains of mashed potatoes, all in Lebanon.
The Skies and Seas Vacations Instagram page, with over 30,000 followers, is filled with the type of posts you might expect; well-manicured nails holding wine glasses by the sea, a list of places to visit every month of the year, and activities for every month. In May, it's a scenic train trip to Switzerland.
Onuoha, who goes by OgeFerari on Instagram, said she only started traveling in 2019 after going to Kenya for a work event. But these days, her public relations materials include the 24 countries, including 12 in Africa, where she has visited.
Ideally, a travel agency's clientele would be anyone who wants to travel. But at Skies and Seas Vacations, the focus is strictly on people who want to go on vacation. Onuoha, for example, said she only accepts customers who book round-trip tickets and activities.
“We are trying to do KYC. I don't want to get into anything shady. Just come correctly”, she told Pulse Nigeria. “You will do KYC to someone and you will realize that this person just wants a tourist visa because they want to go there and stay there. I wouldn't do that. I don't think you should apply for a tourist visa when you intend to stay. I think it's a very tricky path to take.”
In an interview with Pulse Nigerian, Onuoha offers his tips for traveling on a budget.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
How much should I budget for a trip as a Nigerian looking to go on vacation?
A budget of ₦3-3.5 million is realistic.
Where will the person go?
You can do Lebanon. You can do Kenya or Rwanda with this. You might be able to do Egypt with this if you plan in time.
What will my experience be with this budget?
The most important element will be the visa. But the thing is, you don't wake up one day and say you want to travel if you're on a budget. If you're a budget traveler, plan four to five months in advance. Egypt is very cheap. One thing I like is that they offer all-inclusive hotels. So you don't have to worry about lunch and dinner.
For Lebanon, I am absolutely sure you can do it. And if you book in time, you can get tickets for just $600 (around ₦822,000).
What would my daily activity look like if I chose Lebanon?
The first thing I will recommend is visiting Jeita Cave. It is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites. It’s a limestone cave and it’s truly beautiful. You can go to downtown Beirut. Depending on the season, you may see cherry blossoms. And it's nice for people who like to take photos.
Beirut is nicknamed the Paris of the Middle East. The streets of Paris are like that in Beirut. There is Zaitunay Bay on the coast. There are many good restaurants there. I would also suggest paragliding. You can go shoot guns. You can take a two-hour trip to the coastal town of Batroun. That's really nice. They have the best seafood there.
And all this costs less than 3.5 million euros?
Yes. I have been to Lebanon five times. The first time I went, I didn't do much there, I don't think I spent more than ₦900,000 (on activities, food and hotel). It was in 2021.
What travel essentials do you need to go on a trip?
Have your first aid kit. Travel adapter, universal. If you like photos, you should have your tripod. Always have a jacket.
