Tourism Sector Generates 300% Above Projected Revenue — NIHOTOUR DG

The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, (NIHOTOUR) said the agency has generated over 300 per cent of its expected revenue for the Nigerian hospitality and tourism sector.

NIHOTOUR’s Director General, Abisoye Fagade, revealed this at the weekend in Abuja, during an event organised by Style De Vie, a private company specialising in fostering cultural and economic ties between African countries.

Fagade, who reiterated that hospitality and tourism sector presently amounts to the highest employment sector in Nigeria, aside from agriculture, noted that his Institute was not just about generating money but creating service.

He added that the agency is also saddle with putting additional value to what they do and creating an enabling platform for businesses to thrive.

While calling for more investment in the sector, the Director General noted that the body language of government was changing to tourism.

“The agenda is focusing more on tourism as a sustainable replacement for oil. And as you speak today, you agree with me that maybe, although it is not really documented, it is not data, that hospitality, tourism amounts to the highest employment in this country, aside from agriculture. tourism in Nigeria is a social bitcoin. If you don’t catch up on time now, you’ll regret that later”, he said.

Earlier, the Creative Director of Style De Vie, Mrs. Rebecca Tabe, said the event was organised to boost investment partnership among African nations.

While calling on Nigerian and African investors to come home and invest in the continent, Tabe stressed, “I noticed my Nigerian brothers love to invest outside Nigeria. Let us be honest. This is like a platform for them to not take their monies to Europe. They should bring their money into Africa. I know sometimes they’re even scared to do business here. Let’s be honest because of the way Nigeria, Africa is programmed. But this event is just trying to let you know that there’ re honest and credible people that are within our coffers”, she noted.

In response, the Tunisian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mohsen Antit, said the event presents an opportunity for everybody to exchange ideas and harmonise peculiarities between African countries, especially in trade and economy.

While emphasising that the event will also enhance cultural and tourism relations between African countries, the Ambassador solicited for a deepened collaboration between Tunisia and Nigeria in various sectors, including Agriculture, trade and tourism.