UN Tourism Agency Rolls Out Measures To Boost Tourism Development in Nigeria

The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has rolled out a number of
measures, including technical assistance, capacity building and the
revision of the country’s Tourism Master Plan, as part of efforts to
ensure the development of tourism in the country.

The UN Agency announced the measures, which also include the
organization of international conferences in Nigeria and the
certification of tourism courses, at the end of a two-day meeting
between the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
and the global tourism agency in Madrid, Spain, on Wednesday.

At the meeting, held at the headquarters of the UNWTO, Nigeria also
expressed interest in hosting the 60th meeting of the global Agency’s
Commission for Africa in 2018 in order to attract global attention to
tourism in the country.

In addition, the global agency is widening access to its e-library for
Nigerian tourism officials and offering support for relevant tourism
institutions and agencies in Nigeria.

Under the UNWTO’s technical assistance programme, Nigeria will be
assisted in the area of data collection for the elaboration of tourism
statistics, rural tourism development, hotel classification and in
designing programmes to create awareness for tourism.

In the area of capacity building, the focus will be on the empowerment
of women in tourism through the centres being planned for the six
geo-political zones and the training of festival managers, among
others.

UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai, who led the agency’s strong
delegation to the meeting, said the implementation of the programmes
would start immediately and continue for the next two years.

He commended the Minister for his ”great intelligence and big
vision” for tourism in Nigeria, adding that the ”good chemistry”
between him and the Minister must be used for the good of Nigeria.

For his part, the Minister, who led the Nigerian delegation to the
meeting, described it as ”most useful” and beneficial to the
country.

”I want to express the appreciation of the Government and people of
Nigeria to the UNWTO for their support. You have been passionate in
your collaboration and you have helped us in more ways than we could
imagine,” Alhaji Mohammed said.

The meeting, which marked the return of Nigeria to the centre stage of
the organization it joined in 1975, was held at the instance of the
UNWTO Secretary-General, who invited the Minister to the Agency’s
headquarters after the two met at the 58th UNWTO CAF Meeting in
Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, last April.