… FG Is Working With UNWTO To Implement Tourism Master Plan—Lai Mohammed
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has stated that tourism has the potential to take Nigeria out of recession if well harnessed.
Obasanjo said that with tourism Nigeria as a country has no business with recession, urging the gathering to take advantage of the opportunity created by recession to invest in tourism
Obasanjo’s message was read on his behalf by the National President of National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) Mr Bankole Bernard at the 41st Non Elective General Annual Meeting (AGM) with the theme, “Tourism in a Recessed Economy: The Way Forward” held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
He added tourism industry if well developed would generate more revenue compared to other sectors of the economy, adding that tourism does not start and end with bringing into the country international tourists.
Obasanjo encourage NANTA to go into domestic tourism, as according to him Nigeria has a lot of tourism sites and potential that can be harnessed for the growth of the country.
He also pledged to make Abeokuta a tourism hub
On his part, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, disclosed that the Federal Government was working with the United Nations World Tourism (UNWTO), the specialised agency in the United Nations (UN) in the field of tourism towards full implementation of the Tourism Master Plan.
This he said would attract increased funding for the sector ,enhancing the coordination of practitioners, tourists trade groups and government, the re-enactment of the Presidential Council on Tourism, review of tourism related laws and policy, putting in place Tourism Satellite Account for the country ,promoting domestic tourism and pursuing the ideals of Sustainable Tourism Development .
The Information and Culture Minister, who was represented by the Acting Director General of Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation(NTDC), Dr Paul Adalikwu, informed the gathering that the Federal Government’s determination to implement the Tourism Satellite Account is to ensure that the actual contribution of tourism to the country is properly captured as well as to track the direct and indirect effects of tourists spending on outputs and jobs creation among others to assist the Ministry in its determination to attract improved funding for the sector.
Adalikwu observed that travel agencies have power to influence and direct consumer demand compared to other industries, adding that travel agencies are not just intermediaries they act as an interface between supply and different segments of demands across the hospitality and tourism value chain
According to him, “Modern travel agencies have many different forms and very complex relationships and I urged you therefore to strengthen these relationships even further in order to contribute your quota in getting the economy out of recession.”
