The federal government has expressed concern over the huge gap in the tourism sector.
Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Amb. Mariam Yalwaji Katagum, stated this when a delegation of Women in Business and Tourism Society Nigeria (WIBAT Nigeria) led by its National President paid her a courtesy visit in Abuja on Monday said that Tourism has an important role to play in the economic diversification drive of the present administration.
In a press release issued by the Senior Information Officer, Eleojo Comfort Unane for the Assistant Director Information, Amb. Katagum stated that as Nigeria joins the rest of Africa countries for trading under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), tourism is very key to Nigeria.
She emphasised that indeed tourism is the new oil because Nigeria has a lot of cultural heritage to showcase to the world.
The Minister of State commended the WIBAT Nigeria for its foresight in identifying economic opportunities that abound in the tourism sub-sector and urged the association to seek collaborations with relevant organizations and stakeholders in the sector, including the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture among others.
Amb. Katagum further stated that women in their various geographical locations should explore and see tourism as a serious business with the potential to boost the economic growth of Nigeria.
The Minister of State reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal government to support Nigerian women in their various fields of endeavors.
She therefore advised the group to officially write to the Ministry on areas of possible collaboration.
Earlier, the National President of WIBAT Nigeria who led the delegation to the Minister, Mrs. Sophia Khan said the group was at the Ministry to brief the Minister on its visions and mandate as well as seek areas of possible collaboration.
Khan explained that WIBAT Nigeria was conceived to promote domestic tourism by developing, promoting and marketing tourism centers in Nigeria.
