Maximising Tourism As FG Trains More Youths In Epe

BlossomNigeria commends the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Tourism for its concerted effort and partnership with the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), to train about 40 youths in Epe, Lagos state, as tour guides and operators.

The Minister of Tourism, Mrs Lola Ade-John, said during the graduation ceremony held in Epe in March, that the training, was meant to fully support tourism development. The training session which lasted for three days, presented each participant with a certificate, as a Tourist guide.

The Minister disclosed that the current edition was the fourth in the training series. She said similar trainings were held in Badagry, Makurdi in Benue state and Ekiti state. With this ongoing training, she charged the beneficiaries to practice all they had learnt, and be accommodating of tourists, relay beautiful and interesting stories of Epe, and always remain polite.

She added, “As the Minister of Tourism, I am deeply committed to fostering sustainable development and promoting the immense potential of our beautiful Epe region through community engagements”. She noted that the  EcoGenesis Incubator Series represents a significant milestone in efforts to elevate tourism as a nation, by providing training and guidance to aspiring and established tourist operators and guides.

She commended the organisers, sponsors and participants for their dedication and commitment to making the training session a reality.

The Director General of NIHOTOUR, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, stressed that the EcoGenesis Incubator Series programme was part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Kangiwa said the training would reposition Nigeria on the global tourism map as a preferred tourism destination.

As more potentials are unlocked in the Tourism sector, he said it would also address poverty and unemployment in rural communities across the country. According to him, capacity building in skills to operate and manage tourism investments was critical to building strong destinations and ensuring destination sustainability.

Kangiwa further explained that tour guiding as a profession, had impacted the overall tourism industry around the world. According to the DG, “This tourism service of tour guiding for tourists across Nigeria and the globe, has contributed to the creation of more than 118 million jobs. This, he said has translated to 3.8 per cent global employment as reported by the World Travel and Tourism Council, (WTTC).

With these current statistics, it is estimated that tourism will continue to grow to 414 million jobs and 11.6 per cent of total employment by 2028.

Once again, a nortable commendation in the right direction for the Ministry.