Nigeria Wins Right To Host African Tourism Ministers in 2018

Nigeria on Wednesday won the right to host, in 2018, the 61st meeting
of African Ministers in charge of Tourism, tagged the UN World Tourism
Organisation (WTO) Commission for Africa (CAF).

Nigeria won the hosting right by acclamation following the
presentation of a five-minute video, entitled ”Simply Nigeria”, to
delegates at the ongoing 59th edition of the UNWTO CAF Meeting in
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by the Minister of Information and Culture,
Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The compelling video, which highlighted Nigeria’s rich cultural
heritage and tourism destinations, was greeted by a prolonged
applause.

Responding, the Chairman of the UNWTO Commission for Africa and
Zimbabwean Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Dr Walter
Nzembi, said: ”Procedurally, when a member state offers its
destination for the host of the next CAF, we all put that request to a
test, do I take the applause of the Minister’s presentation to mean
your approval of Nigeria as next destination call?”

The question was greeted by a more resounding applause, confirming
Nigeria as the host of the 2018 meeting.

Making a case for Nigeria’s bid, which was launched at the 58th
edition of the UNWTO CAF Meeting in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, in 2015,
the Minister said it presents an opportunity for the country of almost
200 million people ”to showcase our rich cultural heritage and to
promote Nigeria as a leisure and business destination”.

He described Nigeria as a ”fascinating country” which previously
hosted the UNWTO CAF Meeting in 2003, 2008 and 2012, in addition to
hosting the Second World Festival of Black and African Festival of
Arts and Culture in 1977.

Alhaji Mohammed said Nigeria is a country of peaceful and hospitable
people, and that the 2018 UNWTO CAF Meeting will be a practical
demonstration of the government’s commitment to developing the tourism
sector as an alternative source of revenue.

Earlier in the day, he told the delegates that the Nigerian government
has defeated the Boko Haram insurgency, noting that occasional attacks
on soft targets by the insurgents who are now on the run do not amount
to a resurgence of the group.