The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), is determined to facilitate the Corporation’s access to the United Nations Tourism Intervention Funds to ensure sustainable tourism development in Nigeria.
To achieve this, the Acting Director-General, Mrs. Mariel Rae-Omoh, has set up a seven-member committee to work with the Institute for Tourism Practitioners (ITP).
Rae-Omoh said that the Corporation needed the intervention fund to facilitate adequate development and promotion of the tourism assets in the country.
“We cannot depend on the budget alone to do the needful in the industry. That is why we must maximally explore Private Public Partnership (PPP) and other international funds and grants,” she said.
The Acting DG charged members of the committee, headed by the Director of Administration and Supply, Mr Boniface Eboka, to put in their best to ensure that Nigeria immensely benefits from international tourism funds in order to propel the development and promotion of tourism in Nigeria.
Other members of the committee are Director of Legal, Mrs Funebi Omondak; Acting Director, Hospitality and Travel Trade, Mr. Arua Vincent; Acting Director, Planning research and Statistics, Mrs. Hassan Bukola Bamidele; Assistant Director, Hospitality and Travel Trade, Mrs. Modupe Omorege; Acting Director, Finance and Account, Mr. Richard Ovie; and Head of Public Relations Unit, Mrs. Adama Afanga.
The Acting NTDC boss is to oversee the workings of the committee.
President of the institute, Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, said on the occasion of the inauguration of the committee that it was high time NTDC explored available intervention funds by the United Nations to develop the unique and diverse tourism potential in Nigeria.
According to Odusanwo, “ITP is committed to working out modalities to enable NTDC benefit from international tourism funds to help develop the tourism assets in the country, and also, ensure proper training of the Corporation’s staff.”
He listed key areas of sustenance of tourism in the country to include, among others, cultural richness, visitors’ fulfillment, physical integrity, local involvement, local control, social equity, biological diversity, resource efficiency, and environmental purity.
Membership Coordinator of ITP and retired Director of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Tourism Board, Madam Patience Edeke, tasked stakeholders in the industry to work in synergy towards ensuring sustainable tourism in Nigeria.
