The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria [FTAN], has finally paid a courtesy visit to Barr. Musawa Hannatu Musa, Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy after months of back and forth.
Led by Nkereuwem Onung, President of FTAN, the delegation from the private sector umbrella body aimed to strengthen collaboration with the Ministry.
Nkereuwem highlighted the private sector’s awareness of the Minister’s strategic blueprint for the Arts, Culture, and Creative Industry, which expanded to include Tourism in 2024. The purpose of the visit was to foster a closer relationship between the private sector and the government.
He briefed the Minister on the establishment and objectives of FTAN, emphasizing its role in unifying various private sector associations under one umbrella to support government initiatives.
Acknowledging the significance of robust public-private partnerships for the growth of the tourism sector, Nkereuwem discussed the implications of laws governing the National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism [NIHOTOUR] and the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority [NTDA] on private-sector operations.
Onung expressed appreciation for these legislative efforts while raising concerns about potential conflicts between the two statutes. He noted ongoing dialogues between the relevant agencies to mitigate industry challenges arising from these discrepancies.
Proposing strategies to enhance state involvement in tourism development, Nkereuwem suggested the formation of a council of tourism commissioners. He underscored the sector’s financial contributions to the national GDP and advocated for the creation of a Tourism Satellite Account to accurately reflect its economic impact.
Additional delegates highlighted critical areas requiring the Minister’s attention, including addressing multiple taxation issues within the hospitality sector, fostering participation in international tourism exhibitions, and revitalizing the Presidential Council on Tourism [PCT].
They urged the Ministry to convene a National Tourism Summit to comprehensively address industry-wide challenges.
In response, the Minister expressed gratitude for the visit and acknowledged previous efforts in the Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy sectors. She assured the federation of her commitment to applying similar strategic frameworks to the tourism industry and pledged increased engagement with the private sector to address identified gaps.
Regarding the PCT, the Minister confirmed ongoing efforts by her team to revive the council, with plans for extensive discussions at the forthcoming National Council of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy in Osogbo. She also committed to convening a National Tourism Summit to gather stakeholder input on industry development strategies.
By Lucky George
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