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Ministry sets eight-point agenda for
tourism
By Orkula Shaagee
Correspondent, Abuja
The Federal Ministry of Culture and
Tourism says it has set for itself, an eight-point agenda to be implemented in
2005, explaining that it would facilitate the development of the industry.
At the World Tourism Day, the minister,
Chief Frank Ogbuewu, called for maximum cooperation from individuals and
organisations to enhance the maximum utilisation of the benefits associated
with tourism.
He charged stakeholders to rise up to the
occasion by providing the required services so as to enable government develop
the sector with a view to attracting both local and foreign investors. The
agenda set for implementation next year, Ogbuewu said, are the collection and
analyses of tourism statistics; classification and grading of hotels and
similar establishments; publication and creation of awareness on the Word
Tourism Organisation and the encouragement of the establishment of sustainable
tourism in the country.
Others are: To encourage participation of
Nigerians in all spheres of tourism; encourage professionalism in the travel
and tourism trade; accelerate infrastructural development through the
activities of the Presidential Council on Tourism and to put in place a
comprehensive policy on incentives and financing of tourism projects.
He said tourism was, in the past,
associated more with the idea of rest and relaxation, but that the emphasis now
has been shifted to the quality of life, which has necessitated the inclusion
of physical and sporting activities in tourism products.
President Olusegun Obasanjo called on state
governors and local government chairmen to take advantage of the world tourism
trend and evolve tourism initiatives that would bring benefits to Nigeria.
He noted that Nigeria is undoubtedly one of
the world’s most potentially diverse tourist destinations with an
unparalleled range of natural, geographical and cultural attractions.
Obasanjo said tourism sector in Nigeria has
grown over the last few years. World Tourism Organisation report shows that
tourist arrivals in Nigeria in 2001, 2002 and 2003 were 850, 000; 887, 000 and
1, 037, 790 respectively; while the corresponding receipts were $171m; $200m
and $234m respectively.
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