Nigerians in the Diaspora under the auspices of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE), has thrown its support for President Muhammadu Buhari-led government’s development of the country’s tourism sector.
This was contained in a communiqué issued after a conference organised by the Austrian Chapter of the organisation in Vienna on July 1, 2016, where the participants focused on how to showcase Nigeria’s tourism potentials to the international community.
The conference declared open by the Charge D’Affaire of Nigerian Embassy in Vienna, Austria, Mr Gazing Dangtim, informed the participants that Nigeria has been naturally blessed with tourism locations that could attract tourists from all over the globe.
According to Dangtim the country has large beaches located all over the waterfall, game reserves, rock formations, rain forest, and others. He also added that the country occupies the number sport as Africa’s largest economy with huge natural mineral resources that are lucrative to investors.
He also stated that President Muhammadu Buhari has put in place adequate security in place to guaranty their safety and has zero tolerance for corruption to boost investors’ confidence.
In her goodwill message, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, represented by Ms Rita Ogunfojuri, General Secretary, NIDOE, Austria, which she described the initiative as a wonderful and would also assist the Federal Government policy to diversify Nigeria’s economy.
Dabiri also listed Nigeria’s tourism potentials and charged the Diasporas to take advantage of the commitment of Mr. President to promote the tourism sector as part of his economic diversification agenda.
She concluded by identifying the areas where the Diasporas could support the government in terms of job creation, scouting for investors, partnering with the government to showcase Nigeria as a safe tourist destination, classifying Nigeria hotels (Star category), developing hotel database, and developing a central booking centre for Nigeria hotels, and others.
Similarly, in his address of welcome chairman, NIDOE, Austria Chapter, Engr. Oluyemi Ogundele, said Nigeria’s tourism sector has huge potentials investors could take advantage of.
Ogundele also urged Nigerians in Diaspora with a huge population of over 20 million to set the pace for development of the sector by investment. He also thanked all the participants for gracing the occasion despite the ongoing Ramadan fasting and the difficulties encounter by many in obtaining Austrian visa.
However, the communiqué reads, “Nigeria could generate foreign exchange, provide employment and accelerate rural urban integration and cultural exchange by developing the tourism sector.
“Nigeria offers a wide variety of tourist attractions such as extended and roomy river, waterfalls and ocean beaches ideal for swimming and other water sports, unique wildlife, vast tracts of unspoiled nature ranging from tropical forest, some new rapidly growing cities and climatic conditions in some parts particularly conducive to holidaying.
“Other attractions include traditional ways of life preserved in local customs; rich and varied handicrafts, Museums, historic sites and other colourful products depicting or illustrative of native arts and lifestyle, and the authentic unsophisticated but friendly attitude of many in the Nigerian population.
“However, many of these attractions are still largely untapped and even at their raw states, they are still being enjoyed by few outsiders, either very rich visitors in quest of exoticism or adventurous people in search of new challenges and experiences.
“The lack of required modern infrastructural facilities and in some parts of the country acute conditions of underdevelopment and poverty can be seen which many potential Nigeria bound tourist may not like to be confronted with.”
