By Ibrahim Ramalan
Acting Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Mariel Rae-Omoh, has described tourism as a magic wand that can turn the Nigerian economy around, bringing it out of recession.
Rae-Omoh said this in her speech while hosting the Leadership Newspapers management team that paid a courtesy call on the Corporation yesterday.
The acting NTDC boss explained that tourism is a goldmine, which if well funded, developed and promoted, tourism, within a short period will boost the economy of the nation, with every sector, state and Nigerian benefiting from the enviable goodies of the revenue-spinning industry.
She added: “As a professional, I know where the shoe pinches the Nigerian tourism industry. We know what is lacking in the industry and we have the blueprint to reposition NTDC and the Nigerian tourism to make it conspicuous on the world tourism map.”
Rae-Omoh enjoined the government to ensure adequate funding and substantial budgetary allocation to the tourism sector and accord it the necessary priority it deserves, adding that, “NTDC presently, does not have any internally generated revenue.”
She expressed the willingness to partner with the Leadership Newspapers to blow the trumpet of the enviable tourism assets in the country and encourage foreign tourists to visit Nigeria to better appreciate the innumerable attractions and cultural assets in the country, which according to her, will culminate in creation of wealth and jobs for the people in the country.
The Assistant Managing Editor (Content), Leadership Newspapers Group Limited, Mr. George Agba, earlier in his speech described NTDC as indispensable in promoting the Nigerian tourism industry.
Agba stressed that Kenya and South Africa, among others that are respected for their strides in the tourism world, do not have as much as Nigeria in terms of tourism and cultural assets, “especially our festivals which make Nigeria unique in the world.
While making a case for more funding for NTDC, Agba revealed the plans of the newspaper organization to partner with NTDC in promoting the Nigerian tourism sector.
