Business
THE Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) says the provision of a legal framework was a gateway in exploring and harnessing of tourism potential in the country
Mr Folorunsho Coker, the Director General of the corporation made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
According to him, a new legal framework will provide the avenue to harness the dividends in tourism industry, generate revenue and enable investors to tap from the abundant opportunities in the sector.
Coker described the proposed NTDC Bill as the needed legal framework upon which to grow the nation’s tourism potential.
He said that a legal framework would help people understand tourism as a business and investment, which would also make it attractive for funding.
Coker likened the NTDC’s legal framework to the required foundation laid in the communication, banking, oil and gas sectors that resulted in their huge revenue generations.
“If these measures are put in place, it would help strengthen Nigerian tourism industry and make it thrive.”
The NTDC boss further said that it was imperative for people to understand that tourism was a business that most wealthy countries depended for huge investments.
According to him, without a legal framework, it will be difficult to maximise and exploit the potential in tourism to fullest.
“Without a legal framework, we cannot in 2019 exploit our potential to the max.
“We are asking for a new legal framework that will be sensitive to our environment and that which will allow us perform like other countries that have enjoyed all the benefits of tourism.
“We need a legal framework and a platform to explore the good in tourism just as other countries explore globally. We have been trying but we need to do more; we need a structural shift to achieve our goal.
“We need to get people to understand that tourism business is what some wealthy countries depend on and until we invest in tourism, we will not reap the fruits.”
Coker stressed that tourism benefits would be harnessed if given proper attention it deserved and therefore advocated for prompt intervention.
He said the having a legal framework would prompt financial framework that would allow the agency to operate as a business entity capable of generating huge revenues for the economy.
“Currently, tourism is contributing marginally to the fortunes of this country.”
Coker, therefore, harped on the need to invest in the sector, which he likened to a goldmine for huge revenue generation and to improving the nation’s internal revenue generation.
He said that tourism investment would help in job creation, preservation of tourism historical assets and increase influx of tourists into the country. (NAN)
– Oct. 9, 2019 @ 15:29 GMT |
Tags: Legal framework gateway to harness tourism potential – NTDC boss
