NTDC sets up committee to explore UN Tourism

THE Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Mariel Rae-Omoh, has set up a committee to work with the Institute for Tourism Practitioners (ITP) to facilitate the corporation’s access to the United Nations Tourism Intervention Funds to ensure sustainable tourism development in Nigeria.

Rae-Omoh in her speech said that the corporation needed the intervention fund to facilitate adequate development and promotion of the tourism assets in the country, adding that “we cannot depend on the budget to do the needful in the industry. That is why we must maximally explore Private Public Partnership and other international funds and grants.”

The acting NTDC boss charged member of the committee to give their best and ensure that Nigeria immensely benefit from international tourism funds to propel the tourism development and promotion in Nigeria.

Members of the committee are: Director, Administration and Supply, Mr. Boniface Eboka (head of the committee); Acting Director, Hospitality and Travel Trade, Mr Arua Vincent; Acting Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs. Hassan Bukola Bamidele; Head of Public Relations Unit, Mrs. Adama Afanga; Assistant Director, Hospitality and Travel Trade, Mrs Modupe Omorege; Acting Director, Finance and Account, Mr. Richard Ovie and Director, Legal, Mrs Funebi Omondak, while the Acting NTDC boss is to oversee the workings of the committee.

President of the institute, Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, earlier in his speech said that it is high time NTDC explored available intervention funds by the United Nations to develop the unique and diverse tourism potentials in Nigeria.

“ITP is committed to working out modalities to enable NTDC benefit from international tourism funds to help develop the tourism assets in the country, and also, ensure proper training of the corporation’s staff,” Odusanwo said.

The president of the institute then discussed key areas of sustainability for tourism in the country, which according to him, include: cultural richness, visitors’ fulfilment, physical integrity, local involvement, local control, social equity, biological diversity, resource efficiency, and environmental purity, among others.

Membership Coordinator of ITP and retired Director of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Tourism Board, Madam Patience Edeke, in her presentation discussed the roles of stakeholders to ensure sustainable tourism in Nigeria. She named government through Ministerial Department and Agencies, Private Sector/Tourism Trade Association, Non-Government Organisation, and Employees/Trade Unions, among others, as the key stakeholders in the industry.

Mr John Adzer, former Director of PRS of the corporation, summarised the five key pillars to achieve sustainable tourism development, which according to him, include tourism governance and policies, trade investment, employment, poverty reduction and social inclusion and sustainability of national and cultural environment.