From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Federal Government has challenged stakeholders in the tourism industry to map out strategies to revive the sector, thus making it a great contributor to the gross domestic product of Nigeria.
The government stressed that Nigerian tourism industry has the potential to be among the major industry players and the major source of foreign exchange for Nigeria, like it is in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE), and other countries that have invested in tourism.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who gave the charge at the public presentation of a book, “Redefining Tourism in Nigeria: The Real Issues and Challenges,” in Abuja, yesterday, reaffirmed the determination of government to attract more investment in tourism to serve as alternative to crude oil revenue, which is currently the major source of foreign exchange for Nigeria.
The book is centred on changing the perception of Nigerians on the strategic position of tourism in the economic diversification agenda of government.
The minister, represented by the Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Mrs. Chika Balogun, explained that the effort must be collective, with involvement of private investors.
He said, “Nigeria has strong comparative advantages in the hospitality and tourism industry because of its diverse cultural heritage that is disposed to what is commonly referred to as Nigerian hospitality.”
“Nigeria is equally blessed with abundant natural and cultural resources that are well blended for tourists’ delight. It is against this background that the Federal Government is repositioning tourism as one of the levers for economic growth and development.”
Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Mariel Rae-Omoh, emphasised her commitment to ensuring that the Nigerian youths embrace tourism. This, according to her, informed the efforts of the corporation to promote youth tourism:
“I have always been a crusader of youths involvement in tourism, even before I became the Acting DG. And now, the efforts have been geared up, as the corporation under my administration is heightening the interest of the youth in tourism, making them appreciate the inherent rewards of the money-spinning sector.”