I don't know what's the matter with some of the posters here when they're privileged to be working in a prime tourist destination like Nigeria. It's a great place - and that's official because The Minister of Tourism, Culture & National Orientation, Prince Adetokunbo Kayode has said so. It will soon outrank oil as a major money earner:
Federal Government said its aim is to ensure that Nigeria begins to generate $50 billion (about N6.45 trillion) from tourism every year.
Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Adetokunbo Kayode, stated this at the opening session of the first Nigeria Tourism Stakeholders’ Forum in Abuja. He said this would be achieved after the ongoing reform in the sector.
The minister regretted that Nigeria, with great tourism potential, could not boast of realising an annual turn-over of $1 billion from the sector, when other countries of the world have it as their main source of revenue generation.
"I know that if the organised private sector partner with us, we will achieve what we want to achieve in earnest. I can tell you that there are smaller countries in Africa like Zambia that are targeting to raise $1 billion from tourism.
"If Zambia can earn $1 billion by the end of 2007 from tourism, then Nigeria needs to earn about $50 billion. Yes Nigeria should be able to earn about $50 billion from tourism annually. Nigeria can earn more, but we must do what we have to do," he noted.
According to him, Nigerians must change their attitude to tourism and tourism development issues, like developing the framework, and understanding that tourism is an area that needs to invest in.
Kayode noted that any investment in tourism is an investment in the development of Nigeria. He urged the financial sector to begin to invest in tourism, stressing that an investment in tourism by a financial institution is not only a corporate responsibility but a big business that would bring huge profit.