…receives highest industry honour
President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his support for reforms in Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality industry, following a meeting with the Director-General of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Aare Abisoye Fagade.
At the meeting in Abuja, Fagade briefed the President on ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening professional standards, skills development and service delivery in the tourism, hospitality and travel sectors.
The NIHOTOUR boss also presented Tinubu with the Grand Fellow of National Hospitality and Tourism (GFNHT), described by the institute as the highest singular honour in Nigeria’s tourism sector.
Fagade said the reforms were designed to strengthen professional competence, improve industry standards and create a regulatory environment that would encourage investment and business growth.
He stressed that tourism should be viewed beyond leisure and recreation, noting that the sector had the potential to generate employment, attract investment and contribute to Nigeria’s economic diversification efforts.
“Our responsibility is to build the professional and institutional foundations that will enable Nigeria’s tourism potential to translate into jobs, investment and sustainable economic growth. The President’s continued support is important to advancing these reforms and positioning the sector for greater national impact,” he said.
The reforms include the implementation of the NIHOTOUR Act 2022, which the institute said would help improve accountability, professional standards and the competitiveness of the industry.
Fagade added that collaboration between government and private-sector stakeholders remained critical to developing a professional and globally competitive tourism industry.
The engagement, according to NIHOTOUR, aligns with the objectives of the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in the areas of economic diversification, employment generation and the development of non-oil sectors.
The institute reaffirmed its commitment to working with relevant stakeholders to strengthen Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality industry and position it to contribute more significantly to national economic development.
ENDS
