Runsewe, Nihotour, Envoy Silk Road Hotel for NANTA Eminent Persons Awards

THE Nigerian Cultural Tourism Commissioner, Chief Segun Runsewe, has said that identifying and appreciating contributions of individuals and corporate entities in the industry has a deep spiritual meaning and helps to keep award recipients on their toes.

Runsewe quoted Jesus Christ, who desired to know from his disciples if he was on track in his Spiritual mission on earth, as a classical example of how to truly assess persons called to serve, noting that nanta about four years ago-began a true historical reward regime never seen before in the industry.

Speaking shortly after receiving his certificate of nomination for strategically being at the behest of Nigerian cultural, tourism, arts and crafts promotion in the past two decades, Chief Runsewe who just returned to the country after a cultural evangelism tour of Ethiopia, where he inaugurated the Nigerian and Ethiopian friendship club, stated that NANTA Eminent Persons Award is the Oscar of Nigeria tourism sector.

“Madam Susan Akporiaye, President of NANTA, I want to thank you and your association for this honour. NANTA did same to me four years ago for turning around NTDC and again today for the little we have done at NCAC. We shall be there to tell the world that NANTA is our pride,” he said.

Away from NCAC, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) came to the fore as the Best International Air Transport Association (IATA) Training School in Nigeria.

Nura Kangiwa, Turaki Kebbi, and Director-General of NIHOTOUR, said the award from Nanta is evidence of the change of narratives about the foremost government’s vocational training school under his watch, adding that training and retraining of industry helps  practitioners, and  produces, tested professionals.

“President of NANTA, you have just told us to brace up to do more by this prestigious validation of our focal agenda and from today, NANTA will provide us professional guidance on travel trade business beyond training.” the soft spoken youngest chief executive officer in government tourism and related enterprises agencies in Nigeria stated further.

Kangiwa, who is also the immediate former Vice President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), North Central zone, said the expectations of industry practitioners for changes in NIHOTOUR are a huge burden but assures that the NANTA Eminent Persons Award, zeroing on the achievements of NIHOTOUR, means that he has no option than to work, and work harder for the industry which must be regulated to check free entry regime into the sector.

NANTA president who also presented Certificate of Nomination to Envoy Silk Road Hotel, Abuja, as the hotel to watch, noted that the insistence of Nura Kangiwa-led NIHOTOUR that owners and practitioners in the industry much be certified before engaging in travel trade and tourism businesses is timely, adding that NANTA wouldsoon issue out new guidelines for admittance to NANTA membership in line with NIHOTOUR’s training scheme.

Dewarld Kroger, General Manger, Envoy Silk Road Hotel, said the hotel would partner with NANTA to sell its rooms and services, noting that NANTA award would boost the morale of the workforce of the hotel who are trained to ensure guests’ satisfaction.

NANTA Eminent Persons Award comes up November 12 at the International Conference Center Abuja.