New NTDC Boss Parleys with Private Sector
By Justina Okpanku
The Acting Director General of Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Fedelia Oyahkilome was in Lagos recently to rub minds with the organised private tourism operators on the ways to advance the tourism industry in the country.
Oyakhilome urged the representatives of the various trade associations under the aegis of Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) to support the corporation in their bid to classify tourism establishments such as hotels, restaurants, inns, motels in the country.
In her keynote address at the occasion, she called for a greater co-operation between NTDC and private practitioners in the sector.
She said: " It is very essential to acknowledge the need for public/private sector partnership to realise the pet dream of making Nigeria the ultimate destination in Africa. It is our fervent hope the private sector will become more proactive and evolve special ways and means of utilising the improved development climate created by the present democratic governance to contribute meaningfully to the creation of a vibrant tourism industry in the country."
If she was encouraged by the impressive attendance of stakeholders, their complaints of alleged "victimisation" and lip-service" by tourism chiefs may have made her uncomfortable.
One of the operators, the President of Hoteliers Association of Nigeria, Babs Karim, called on NTDC to be more alive to its responsibilities in areas of protecting practitioners, saying that it's only when government plays its role to the private sector would they have the obligation of paying necessary levies at when due.
Most important Karim pointed out the problem of multiple taxation in the tourism industry by agents of the three tiers of government.
In the same vein, FTAN Legal Adviser, Chuka Agu called for the amendment of the decree setting up NTDC, noting that it is not in tune the present reality.
Generally the operators called for greater emphsis on domestic tourism, stating that in-bound tourism could only be stimulated if domestic tourism is vibrant.
Oyakhilome promised to address the issues raised by the practitioners.
Mrs. Oyakhilome was the Director of Hospitality Travel Trade (HTT) of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation before appointed on the acting basis as Mrs. Omotayo Omotosho, the former DG of NTDC has completed he four-year tenure.
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