The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
has pledged to leave a legacy of turning Nigeria's rich tourism potentials to a
tourism economy.
The Minister made the pledge in Abuja on Tuesday when he
received the International Tourism Adviser of the United Nations World Tourism
Organisation, Mr. Jim Flannery, who is in Nigeria to assist in the review of
the country's Tourism Master Plan.
"Like I said, I want to leave a legacy as the Minister that
came and transformed the Creative Industry to a Creative Economy. I want to
come and leave as the Minister of Tourism that made Nigeria transit from just a
country of tourism potentials to a country of tourism economy, and this is why
we are here today and I believe that we have all it takes to make it work.
''I am tired of Nigerians saying we have tourism potentials. I
want us to start realizing those tourism potentials. I am tired of saying that
tourism can create thousands of jobs in Nigeria; I want us to start creating
those jobs," he said.
Alhaji Mohammed said the present administration has the
political will to drive the process, particularly by removing all the
bottlenecks hindering the active participation of the private sector in the
tourism industry and relaxing the rigid visa regime that discourages tourists
from coming into the country.
"Our role really as government is more of regulatory and
providing guidelines and protection, but the real jobs are within three groups
of people: The states, the local community and the private sector," he
said.
The Minister expressed the delight that the visit of the UNWTO
International Tourism Adviser has kick-started the process of actualizing the
six-point agreement reached between Nigeria and the world tourism body during
his visit to its headquarters in Madrid, Spain, in July.
"Today is the first concrete evidence that truly all that I
said we were able to achieve at our July meeting with UNWTO is true and that's
why I am particularly glad that Mr. Flannery is here today and his presence
here is the first step in actualizing one of the six promises and commitments
that were made to us by the UNWTO," he said.
Alhaji Mohammed acknowledged the contribution of Mr. Flannery to
the drafting of the Tourism Master Plan ten years ago and said he is in Nigeria
to assist the Technical Committee set up by the Minister to review the document
and identify those areas that can be implemented within the shortest time
possible.
The Minister is optimistic that tourism remains the low hanging
fruit that will rejuvenate Nigeria's economy and empower the country's poor.
"Tourism is so unique. It's the only industry in the world
that is pro the poor people. It's the only industry in the world that is pro
the rural area and it's the only industry in the world where you do not need
highly specialized skills or knowledge because nature in its mercy and
bountifulness has created tourism sites where it wants not where we want.
"The Zuma Rock, the Owu Waterfall were put there by God.
The Cross River Wild Park was not man-made. So it is one industry that if we
harness properly, we can bring development right to the rural areas, create
jobs and harmony," he said.
Alhaji Mohammed stressed the importance of having more World
Heritage Sites in the country in order to attract tourists, saying the only two
sites currently in the country are not enough.
In his remarks, the UNWTO International Tourism Adviser, Mr.
Flannery, said there is currently a renewed interest in tourism even among the
big economies like the United States of America, because it's assuming
prominence in the global economy due to it's vitality and inexhaustible nature.
"Tourism worldwide is becoming recognized more and more as
one of the great economic activities that is of major benefit to countries. Why
is it of benefit? Because tourism unlike manufacturing industry can go into the
regions and in fact it does go into communities and you don't need major
structured investment for tourism to be successful," he said.
Mr. Flannery observed that the Tourism Master Plan could not be
implemented ten years ago because of the sheer volume of activities that
previous governments wanted to undertake at once, but lauded the new approach
where salient areas can be identified for immediate implementation.
Segun Adeyemi
SA to Hon Minister of Information and Culture
Abuja
6 Dec. 2016
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