The Federal Government has called for the establishment of stronger linkage and functional travel collaborations among Africa member states to boost tourism in the continent.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the call on Monday in Abuja at the opening of 61st United Nations World Tourism Organisation Commission for Africa.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports President Muhammadu Buhari represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha declared the conference open.
Nigeria, last year, won the right to host UNWTO-CAF conference, which is the gathering of all African Ministers of Tourism, principal executives of the global tourism body and other stakeholders in the tourism sector.
In his welcome remarks, the minister said that Africa has huge tourism potentials, which could be easily harnessed through promotion of intra-Africa travels and stronger collaboration.
He said the continent should also leverage on its vast and unique resources and its number for mutual benefit to all member states.
Mohammed underscored the importance of tourism in addressing the challenges of poverty, unemployment in the continent.
He said: “Tourism has become an important sector of the economy for many member states, especially as an important source of foreign exchange earnings, employment generation and income creation.
“This is in addition to encouraging infrastructural development and poverty reduction.
“The sustained growth of the tourism industry illustrates how this all-important sector, with its added advantage of infinitude, can assist member states’ economies to reap the benefits of globalization.”
The minister said that in Nigeria, tourism is one of the sectors identified as very key to the nation’s economic diversification agenda.
Mohammed said: “On our part, as a country, we are doing everything possible to move the tourism sector into the mainstream of the economy.
“Realising that modern infrastructure is critical to tourism development; we are investing heavily in the development of infrastructure.
“In the last two years alone, we have spent an unprecedented 9 billion US dollars to build roads, standard railways and power.”
The minister underscored the importance of hosting the meeting to the nation’s tourism development and thanked the President and some sponsors for their support.
He said: “The hosting of this meeting in Nigeria would not have been possible without the unalloyed support we have received from President Muhammadu Buhari.
“From the moment we won the hosting right, we had the total support of Mr. President. That we are all gathered here today, therefore, is to the eternal credit of Mr. President.
“I am also profoundly grateful to all the sponsors, who helped to make this hosting a reality.”
The minister welcomed the Secretary-General of the UNWTO, Zurab Pololikashvili and other delegates to the 3-day summit and assured them of the best of Nigeria’s hospitality.
Pololikashvili said: “In the next few days, we will do our best to expose our guests to the taste, sight and sounds of Nigeria.
“Our rich culture and the creative imagination of our people, especially the youths, will be put on display.
“It will be a time like no other. Our visitors cannot afford to miss any of the shows we have lined up.”
NAN reports that the event is being attended by 26 African Tourism Ministers, 166 foreign delegates, 332 Nigerian delegates as well as local and international journalists.
On his part, Polilokashvili said that Nigeria has unique culture and tradition that are capable of selling the country to the world and to make the country a continental tourism hub.
The UNWTO Secretary-General also underscored the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors for promotion of tourism in Africa.
NAN reports one of the highpoints of the event was the conferment of UNWTO, special recognition award, “Ambassador for Responsible Tourism”, on renowned Nigerian businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
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