NIHOTOUR, Atelier Concierge sign MoU to promote 2023 Gastronomy Festival

National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a private firm, the Atelier Concierge Services Limited, to promote and host the forthcoming 2023 Gastronomy Festival.

The MOU was signed by the management of both organisations at the headquarters of NIHOTOUR in Abuja.

NIHOTOUR’s Gastronomy Festival is one of the most culturally eclectic culinary arts and related gastronomy event in Africa. Typically, the festival is laced with traditional gaiety and entertainments that highlight Nigeria’s rich cultural diversity, including musicals and dance choreography.

NIHOTOUR had earlier unveiled dates and venue of this year’s Gastronomy Festival as June 16 and 17, 2023, at the Abuja International Conference Centre.

This year’s Gastronomy Festival is the third consecutive food and beverage exhibition and sampling event,initiated and annually organized by NIHOTOUR since 2021. The theme for this year’s festival is ‘Culinary Arts: The Gate Way to Growing Tourism Destination’.

Speaking during the MoU signing ceremony, Director-General of NIHOTOUR, Nura Sani Kangiwa, expressed high expectations over the event, as he explained that the festival this year will be the biggest, so far, in terms of number of participating brands and exhibitors, and the most diverse in terms of array of different Nigerian and international foods and beverages.

These goals, he further clarified, informed the need for partnership with Atelier Concierge Limited – a leading travel, tourism, and hospitality business in Nigeria.

Responding, CEO of Atelier Concierge Limited, Mrs. Cobbina-Shittu, said: “We are excited that Atelier Concierge is joining forces with NIHOTOUR for the upcoming celebration of the Gastronomy Festival, scheduled to take place in Abuja from the 16th to the 17th of June 2023.

“This momentous occasion presents a perfect opportunity for us to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to enhancing Nigeria’s tourism industry through the promotion of its cultural assets, locally inspired cuisine, vibrant fashion, and much more.

“At Atelier Concierge, our travel concierge service understands that to succeed in today’s dynamic and fast-paced environment, it takes collaboration, innovation, and creativity. Our partnership with NIHOTOUR, an institution renowned for its unparalleled expertise in tourism and hospitality, is a testament to our values and our mission to bridge the gap in the industry.”

On initiating the Gastronomy Festival in 2021, management of NIHOTOUR has maintained that the festival is conceptualised and programmed to upskill Nigerian gastronomes and culinary artists on the technicalities and emerging global best practices of processing, preparing, presenting, packaging and promotion of foods, especially Nigerian traditional cuisines.

Understandably, NIHOTOUR’s objective of investing in such mega Gastronomy Festival is, among other things, to improve the expertise of personnel in the industry, especially those in the eatery, restaurants and hotels sub-sectors across tourist destinations in Nigeria.

The Gastronomy Festival attracts over 5000 visitors and industry stakeholders who participate in the experiential learning of food production processes and indulge in free sampling of diverse Nigerian and international cuisines and beverages on display.

“Activities lined up for this year’s Gastronomy Festival include some of the signature features namely, essay writing/quiz for secondary schools, cooking competition amongst culinary schools, exhibition of cuisines by select African and European countries, and diverse culinary arts displays such as knife skills, fruit carving, cake decoration and others.

“There would also be conferences involving Nigeria’s leading tourism and hospitality stakeholders and business operators, especially those that are members of the Hospitality and Tourism Sector Skills Council of Nigeria (HTSSCN) of which NIHOTOUR is the sole National Coordinator. Additionally, NIHOTOUR would deliver training and masterclasses for members of the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Travel Writers (ANJET).

“The 2023 NIHOTOUR Gastronomy Festival will be rounded-off with a large Gala Night, whereby honorary investitures of Fellowship of NIHOTOUR (FHTI) would be given to individuals who have contributed to the development of Nigeria’s Tourism & Hospitality industry as well as prize-giving to winners of the culinary schools’ cooking competitions.”