Nigerian Tourism Master Plan: Reactions Trail Implementation

However, six years on events in sector has left much to be desired in terms of the manner and pace of its implementation.  As a result, stakeholders in the industry who spoke with LEADERSHIP shared their views on the state of affairs regarding the plan. The president of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria (HATMAN), Mallam Aliyu Badaki Ajayi, said the findings in the tourism master plan document revealed that both the ministry and Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) lack professional personnel. He suggested that competent professionals, including relevant stakeholders, should be involved and enjoined the federal government to show more commitment towards its implementation.

Ajayi was worried over the absence of any intervention scheme for tourism and hospitality development, adding that integrated statistical information aimed at measuring the economic aspects of tourism was not readily available. In his contribution, the president of the International Council of African Museums (AFRICOM), Mr Nath Mayo Adediran, described the tourism master plan as an orphan, saying that the inability to implement the plan was due to lack of competent human resources. Adediran, who is the chief executive officer of RAA Heritage Global Resources Ltd, admitted that there was scanty strategy, capacity and capabilities within the leadership of the sector, stressing that the sector also lacked adequate finances and sponsorship from corporate bodies to market their products.

On his part, the national president of the Institute for Tourism Professionals (ITP), Chief Abiodun Odunsanwo, called on the federal government to involve the private sectors in the industry, noting that tourism was designed to be driven by the private sector since they played key roles. He added that the tourism master plan was a very good document at that time but some of its content had become redundant.

By chika nwakwo