By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) on Thursday inaugurated the Tourism and Creative Industry Trade Group to create sustainable adventure tourism opportunities and networking amongst members.
The Chairman of the Trade Group who is also the Chamber’s Vice President on Communication Strategy and External Relations, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong in his remarks at the event said tourism boosts the revenue of the economy, creates thousands of jobs, develops the infrastructure of a country, and plants a sense of cultural exchange between foreigners and citizens.
He said since tourism and travel is broad and unique business, the Chamber has designated a trade group to harmonize its various components to achieve desirable result.
Dr Hong also said membership of the Tourism and Creative Industry Trade Group has several benefits which includes but is not limited to the following; providing platform for marketing, creating a cultural exchange between tourists and local citizens, promoting international connections, help to put Nigeria on the global map, advocate for industry interest and networking for the advancement of the Tourism and Creative Industry Sector.
“Nigeria has invested so much in the Tourism and Hospitality sector because that is the soul of the economy. We of the private sector are major partners of the government in this push to provide necessary trade and Hospitality services for the economy to thrive.”
While inaugurating the trade group under his Chairmanship, he commended the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), the Minister, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Hotel Owners’ Forum Abuja (HOFA), Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), National Council of Art and Culture (NCAC), African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and other Ministries/Agencies handling Tourism and Hospitality sectors of this country.
The Director General ACCI, Victoria Akai informed participants that, the only way our country can develop in the aspect of tourism and hospitality is to commit ourselves in working together and having powerful collaboration between the travel and hospitality industry, the business community in general, together with government.
She said we should fully leverage innovation to encourage 21st century activities in the Trade Group, while adding that developing new ideas is the way forward to improve tourism and hospitality.
Stakeholders from the tourism sector lauded ACCI’s efforts in inaugurating the trade group towards the development of tourism and hospitality business in Nigeria.
Some of the newly inaugurated members of the trade group are; Nigeria Tourism Development Cooperation (NTDC), National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), The Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN), Hotel Owners Forum Abuja (HOFA) and other owners of hospitality and tourism related businesses.
