Chairman of Project Tourism and former Member of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Ned Nwoko, has promised to host 100 foreign tourists for the Host Family Scheme of the project in 2017.
Nwoko, who made the promise at a dinner held in honour of visiting Miami Dade Trade Mission to Nigeria, in Abuja last Thursday, explained that Project Tourism is to engineer the growth of tourism in Nigeria.
He added that “The committee will put in place what will make visits to tourist sites in Nigeria possible. And as my own contribution towards developing tourism in Nigeria, I will organize a lottery through which I would sponsor 100 foreign tourists to Nigeria next year to experience the tourism potentials in Nigeria.
“The sponsorship would include their tickets, accommodation and feeding, among other things that would make them comfortable during their stay in Nigeria.”
The former Member of the Federal House of Representatives also said the committee would create a cordial relationship with other countries to propel growth and development in the Nigerian tourism sector.
Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Mariel Rae-Omoh, reaffirmed her commitment to promotion of the Nigerian tourism industry.
Rae-Omoh said: “With the call for Nigeria to diversify her economy from oil after several missed opportunities in six decades since the discovery of oil in 1956, the new question begging for answer now is how fast and far can diversification solve economic recession and other problems in the short, medium and long term?”
She explained that “Project Tourism is in the right direction at the right time with its lofty ideals of promoting growth and development of tourism, attracting investment, participation and expansion of the tourism industry in Nigeria as key economic sector and foreign revenue spinner.
“In line with this, NTDC as the apex tourism policy implementation agency will continue to effectively carry out its mandate with the support of the public-private partnership and staff of the Corporation.”
Leader of Miami Dade Trade Mission to Nigeria, Vice Mayor Erhabor Ighodaro, lauded Nwoko’s commitment to promoting tourism in Nigeria and ensuring cordial relationship between Nigeria and other countries.
Ighodaro described Nigeria as a land of deluge of opportunities, especially in tourism, which, if well attended to, will improve the lots of the country and her people.
