By Abdulwaheed Olayinka Adubi
Kaduna, northwestern Nigeria— A stakeholder in the tourism sector, Tobi Bernard Thomas, has said that critical investments in infrastructure, particularly in roads, transport, and security, are foundational elements needed to unlock Nigeria’s tourism potential.
‘‘ This year, we expect more state governments to collaborate with stakeholders to promote tourism activities, work closely along regional lines with a well defined programmes that would boast tourism activities in the country,” he said.
Mr. Thomas asserted this on Tuesday in Kaduna while addressing newsmen on issues affecting the sector and the way forward.
According to him, the government should enforce the adoption of the National Qualification Skills frameworks for institutions in the tourism and hospitality industry for a global standard while calling for public-private partnership as a top priority.
The expert stressed that the tourism sector is the key to the stability of the nation’s economy, and therefore, the sector should be taken seriously by governments at all levels.
“Nigerian tourism is one of the keys that will take us out of the economic depression and cause our economy to be stable, and that is why, as a critical stakeholder, I seized this opportunity to call on government at all levels to look to the cry of stakeholders and ensure that their recommendations are looked into.
“The awareness that the tourism sector is a primary revenue earner and an employer of labour has become very clear to many. And there is no doubt that a growing tourism sector is a sure sign that a nation is prospering and sustainable development is consistent. So, on this note, the government should ensure that the needed attention is given to the sector.
“Tourism sector plays a critical role in any economy and contributes massively to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of any nation that takes the industry seriously,” Mr. Thomas explained.
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