By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
A stakeholder in the Nigeria hospitality and tourism sector, Dr. Tobi Bernard Thomas has described tourism industry as a money spinner if given desired attention, saying that the sector can serve as an alternative to oil and gas.
The expert also asserted that government and other stakeholders within the hospitality and tourism must harnessed the potential of the sector as a means of revenue generation for the nation.
Dr. Thomas who is the Kaduna State Coordinator of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), disclosed this yesterday in Kaduna during a press conference titled: “Tourism, Money Spinner”.
He emphasised that tourism is a lucrative business, adding that GDP has an indirect positive co-movement with tourism.
“Tourism revenues boost government revenues, household income, and increase employment opportunities, therefore leading to economic growth and prosperity for a country.”
Additionally, he also explained that available data has shown that in 2022, the contribution of travel and tourism to the global GDP amounted to 7.7 trillion U.S dollars.
“This figure was forecast to reach an estimated 9.5 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023, remaining five percent below pre-pandemic levels,” FTAN Coordinator explained.
According to him, “in developed countries of the world and some African countries, tourism is a big business and creates employment opportunities for many people.
He noted that aside from direct jobs at the sites, those in the hospitality business such as hotels and restaurants also make a lot of money through the influx of tourists.
Dr. Thomas therefore urged the government to show commitment and partner the private sector in building the sector in the interest of the nation’s economy.
While quoting the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the expert explained that hospitality and tourism industry is one of the largest industries in the world for socio-economic gains.
“It is an important component which caters for tourists in any given destination, as such it is a valuable asset of the travel and tourism industry today and that is the simple truth.
