Culture and Tourism

World Tourism Day: NIHOTOUR Tasks Stakeholders On Professionalism, Industry Growth

Published

5 years ago

September 27, 2020

Joel Ajayi

Director-General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, has urged stakeholders in the tourism industry to always upgrade their professional knowledge for effective service delivery.

Kangiwa made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos as the world celebrates the 2020 edition of the World Tourism Day.

He said that Nigeria’s tourism industry would fare better if stakeholders worked hard to upgrade their knowledge about the industry in line with global best practices.

According to him, stagnated knowledge about extant developments and trending issues in the sector has affected tourism industry growth in the country.

“We must continue to acquire professional knowledge that will equip us to deliver efficient services and promote the growth of the industry,” he said.

“By upgrading our skills and knowledge, we will be equipped to use the latest techniques being employed by our counterparts across the globe to brace-up with global standards,” he said.

He said that NIHOTOUR was willing to promote service delivery and industry growth through the provision of opportunities for constant training and re-training of practitioners.

“I urge tour operators, travel agents, tour guides, hoteliers and other practitioners in the tourism value chain to constantly upgrade their knowledge for greater efficiency.

“This is very important to tourism growth. Standardisation and professionalism should not be jettisoned if we must move the industry forward,” he said.

Kangiwa told NAN that the theme for the 2020 edition of the tourism day celebration: ` Tourism and Rural Development’ was a call on stakeholders to positively affect rural communities.

“The theme reminds us of our roles in rural community development, a huge amount of natural tourism assets are found in the rural communities.

“It is our duty to promote local tourism potentials such as festivals, cultures, arts and natural sites for global recognition and acceptance,” he said.

The NIHOTOUR director-general identified poor record keeping and tourism receipt statistics as major challenges facing the industry.

“As an institute, we will work with the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics to ensure accurate and factual figures of tourist’s receipts, this will change the people’s perception about tourism as mere leisure instead of a viable business.

“We are talking about a very vibrant market, one that can contribute significantly to the economy, one of the major problems is the lack of tourism statistics,” he said.

The world tourism day is annually celebrated on Sept. 27 to raise global awareness on the role of tourism, and to demonstrate its effect on social, cultural, political and economic values.

NAN

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Creative Industry

Experts Urge Collaborative Training and Investment to Propel Nigeria’s Tourism and Transportation Industry at NTTSummit 2025

Published

2 days ago

December 5, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The 8th edition of the National Tourism Transportation Summit and Expo has concluded in Abuja with a strong call for the integration of entrepreneurship development, skills acquisition and capacity-building programmes into the national policy framework for the tourism and transportation sectors.

According to the communique issued at the end of the two-day summit, stakeholders emphasized that such initiatives are essential for empowering youth and women, equipping them with the practical skills required to enter the industry, and stimulating investment through effective collaboration among training and capacity-development institutions. This, they noted, is critical for advancing the growth of Nigeria’s travel, tourism, hospitality and transportation sectors.

The communique further highlighted the need for strengthened cooperation among key public and private sector players, including the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), certification bodies, and leading training institutions such as NIHOTOUR and NCAT.

This collaboration, stakeholders said, is vital for enhancing service quality and aligning operations with global best practices.Participants also underscored the importance of standardizing operational guidelines across the tourism and transportation value chain, increasing investment in transportation infrastructure, and developing tourist destinations through public-private partnerships built on strong synergistic frameworks.

On tourism development, the summit stressed the need for a renewed focus on community-based tourism at the grassroots level, where most of Nigeria’s tourism wealth is located. It urged the federal and state governments to work closely with local governments and community leaders to upgrade tourist sites, strengthen heritage management and empower local stakeholders to drive tourism business sustainably.

The communique also called for the revitalization of Local Government Tourism Committees to ensure inclusive participation in tourism activities. It emphasized the importance of developing quality infrastructure—especially transportation, described as the “lifeline of the industry”—to enhance the tourism value chain, stimulate local economies, and promote cultural preservation and national heritage.

The resolutions emerged from expert presentations and panel discussions aligned with the Summit’s theme: “Tourism–Transportation Connectivity: Accelerating Synergy for National Socio-Economic Growth and Development.”

Speakers addressed key sub-themes including:Standards and Policies for Sustainable Tourism and Transportation DevelopmentDriving Economic Growth through Private Sector ParticipationDestination Development and Human Capital Capacity Building.

Community-Based and Inclusive Tourism for Social Integration and EmpowermentUnlocking Investment Opportunities in Tourism Transport Corridors

Sustainable Marine Resource Management for Blue Economy Growth.

Participating organizations and agencies that presented papers at NTTSummit 2025 included: the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), National College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), and the Chartered Institute of Transport Administration (CIoTA), among others.

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