By Taiye Olayemi
Mrs Lola Ade-John, Minister of Tourism has promised to collaborate with the members of the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), to promote Nigeria’s tourism sites, landmarks and diverse cultural heritage.
Ade-John made the pledge when she received Mrs Bolaji Mustapha, National President of the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP), at her office in Abuja, on Friday.
She expressed excitement at NATOP’s focal intention to visit the entire stretch of the country’s vast landscape.
She said it was impressive for the association to under study, package and promote the various tourism, hospitality, festivals and heritage offerings associated with the Nigerian people to the world and to Nigerians in particular.
“We shall partner together and I do assure you of my ministry support and encouragement.
“Going forward, we shall endeavour to invite and carry your association along in whatever we are going to do.
“We need you to furnish us with a list of your accredited members and when we are going to present the tourism policy, which we think we needed to review, we shall invite NATOP to look at it and further add value to the document,” she said.
On fund support for NATOP activities and facilitating efforts to showcase Nigeria at the upcoming World Travel Market( WTM), the minister said that the ministry was working around tourism budget which currently cannot help drive the many pending tourism projects of the ministry.
She said this may impact on the ministry’s participation at the global tourism trade event this year in London.
She noted that at the next budgetry release in 2025, Nigeria will take giant steps to showcase her tourism offerings to the world.
“We are constrained financially for now and can’t do much but hopefully by next year budget, we should have done our home work well.
“And I assure you that we are going to do many tourism projects together because what you did during the World Tourism Day in Lagos, was the way to go in promoting Nigeria which is very dear to my heart, she said
The NATOP President, who visited the minister in company of her deputy, Ms Geraldine Itoe, had earlier briefed the minister on the association’s plans to intentionally market Nigeria’s rich tourism assets.
She also spoke on their intention to participate at the World Travel Market.
She said the association would be working on reinventing the strategic socioeconomic importance of tourism economy to job creation and empowerment of the people.
According to her, this would be with focus on improving Nigeria’s global ranking as a destination to visit in Africa.
“We are here to assure you and the ministry of our partnership and collaboration to market Nigeria’s diverse offerings cutting across cultural heritage, ecological tourism, hospitality, festivals, and fashion.
“We are interested in sharing our knowledge concerning Nigerian tourism policy and other industry related concerns, which would help reposition our tourism within the domestic and international space
“We have started looking inwards, and in weeks or months to come, NATOP will embark on project rediscover Nigeria.
“And with it, we will glavernise the states and local authorities and the Nigerian people to think Nigerian culture and tourism first. Nigeria tourism is important to us, and we want to have your ministry’s backing in this noble effort,” she said.
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