Place tourism on Concurrent list, FTAN urges FG

[By VICTOR NZE]

Industry operators under the aegis of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) have advised the Federal Government to consider placing the sector on the Concurrent, instead of the present Residual list.

National President of FTAN, Mr Nkereuwem Onung, who gave the advice, Thursday, during the 26th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the association in Abuja, said this will ensure effective mining of its potential by operators and regulators alike, to the growth of the national economy.

The AGM held under the theme of; “Tourism Today and Tomorrow: Setting the Agenda for the New Administration,” with a sub theme of: “Community involvement in Tourism Development: Building Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism”.

According to Mr. Onung, tourism needs to be on the concurrent list of the Federal Government in order to position the sector for more visibility and viability.

“In our effort to set the agenda for the new administration, we want the new government to consider putting tourism on concurrent list instead of the residual list.

“We are aware that tourism is on the residual list, which should not be, considering the fact it is the veritable tool for our economic transformation given the dwindling revenue from oil in Nigeria.

“The 2013 Supreme Court judgment has not helped matters,” Onung said.

He said that that the states could productively work with the national government to use tourism as a tool of transformation.

FTAN president also called for the creation of a Ministry of Culture and Tourism, separate from the Ministry of Information and Culture as obtainable presently.

According to him, tourism should not remain as a department in the ministry of information and culture.

Onung expressed FTAN’s readiness to midwife a robust relationship between the states and various federal agencies responsible for tourism development in Nigeria.

He said the association had put in place a team of experts to collaborate with the states on hotel registration classification and grading.

He said the team would also collaborate with states on Tourism Master Plan; Eco Tourism Infrastructure; Destination Branding Community Engagement and Empowerment; and create niche tourism products among others.

Onung said FTAN had also collaborated with the Economic Community of West African States, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Chambers of Commerce and embassies to deepen various advocacy programmes to boost tourism in Nigeria.

“We will also work with the Federal government through the Ministries Departments and Agencies in innovative tourism development. We will work with them to implement the new laws.

“We reiterate our dedication to community involvement, sustainable development, and the creation of sellable tourism products.

“Let us commit to working hand in hand to set the agenda for the new administration, ensuring that tourism continues to flourish as a driver of economic growth, cultural exchange, and national pride,” he said.

In his presentation, Keynote Speaker, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, speaking on the sub-theme of the AGM, ‘Community Involvement in Tourism Development: Pathway for Sustainable Tourism,’ posited that ‘monetizing our culture by making it the focus of our tourism industry will preserve and enhance same.’

Otunba Akinboboye is the Founder/CEO of Africa’s first themed beach, forest and river resort, La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, and producer of the popular Mare Festival for the Ondo State Government.

According to Akinboboye, who has in recent times, commissioned additional resorts in other destinations, such as the Koton-Karfe, in  Kogi State; the Grand-Bassam, in Côte d’Ivoire; and the Wolyta Soddo in Ethiopia, the United Kingdom has successfully adopted this position by making its traditions and history the centre of a tourism industry which has generated £214 billion for the country alone in 2022.

Citing the ‘revolutionary steps’ made by young African musicians in selling Africa’s music to the world, Akinboboye called for similar moves to be made to sell the concept of the continent’s culture ‘so that international tourists will demand first-hand access to and visit the continent.’

“The promotion of village mores, eco-tourism, and weaving tourism around nature can contribute to the development of cultural tourism. In this we will require the cooperation of grassroots communities.

“In selecting a site for the Resort, I knew it was important to ensure that any neighboring community was amenable to the existence of and would work with the tourism facility I wanted to create. I therefore made it an imperative to engage with the leadership of the communities that were the potential sites for the Resort. This was so I could be sure that my final choice would be driven by the fact that the leadership of that community and by extension, its people, could buy into the vision of and support the development of the Resort.

“In effect, I was looking for a community that was prepared to partner with me in growing an African tourist facility because they understood the long term benefits of partnering with my organization, which benefits included infrastructural development and employment opportunities for their community.

“In this regard, and as I had earlier mentioned, the Resorts I develop are African themed and show case the best of our architecture, culture and cuisine. My focus on developing African themed facilities is based on my belief that, in terms of tourism, Africa needs to provide a unique proposition if it wants to compete with other tourism destinations and attract tourists that may be jaded by their existing experiences.”

Leveraging on the data from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which stated that travel and tourism contributed 10.4 per cent to global GDP and supported over 334 million jobs in 2019, Akinboboye maintained that if Africa could secure only 15 per cent of that global figure it would positively impact on its GDP and employment figures.

“In my humble opinion, Africa’s unique tourism proposition lies in its environment and its rich culture. If we truly want to develop an international tourism industry for Africa and by extension Nigeria, we cannot offer a pale shadow or replica of what is available elsewhere.

“Why should an international tourist come to Africa to stay in a resort that is a copy of a resort in another continent? Why should such tourist receive services that he considers subpar because we have a different understanding of the services he should receive? In making comparisons we may fall short,” he stated.

On employment opportunities for host communities of resorts, Akinboboye disclosed that

at his company, La Campagne Tropicana’s resorts, ‘a significant number of our employees come from the surrounding rural communities. We are, via our African centric focus able to leverage off their strengths. We are also not constrained by the need to ensure that what we offer mimics the offerings of other tourism destinations.’

Continuing, he said: “The majority of the cleaning staff at our Ikegun Resort, who are women, come from the villages around us. We have, with appropriate training been able to harness their skills to provide a stellar standard of cleanliness within the Resort.

“The village has also benefitted, as these women have been gainfully employed and earn income streams that contribute to the financial wealth of their families.

“A study by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) found that tourism can directly contribute to poverty reduction, as income generated from tourism activities circulates within the local economy.

“The increased economic activity on the Eleko /Ikegun axis which gave birth to the free trade zone can, in my humble opinion be traced to investors that visited the resort and discovered the opportunities in the region. Tourism activities from the Resort have in effect stimulated the growth of a multi-billion dollar free trade zone that is home to the world’s largest refinery and largest fertilizer plant in Africa amongst other companies.

“The development of tourism facilities in rural areas will effectively open up these areas and stimulate other economic activities. This is because visitors to such tourism facilities will be able to determine the suitability of citing their investment in areas they would not otherwise have visited particularly where the government also offers investment incentives.”

According to Akinboboye, by operators focusing on an African theme, ‘tourism can assist in the preservation of our cultural heritage and values.’

“As a matter of practice, La Campagne Tropicana embraces its host culture and has helped to preserve and showcase local traditions, arts, crafts, and heritage. This provides a platform for cultural exchange, promoting understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures on the part of the tourists and the locals. “The presence of tourists at the Resort has also incentivized the local community to maintain, protect and take pride in their cultural identity and traditions.

“According to a study by the UNWTO, cultural tourism can account for up to 40 per cent of global tourism, which further highlights the significance of establishing community partnerships as it is the local communities that are the custodian of the nation’s cultural heritage,” he stated.

Delivering his goodwill message, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, Director-General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), said that the Nigerian tourism industry was ready for improved states and Federal Government stimulus.

Kangiwa said this had necessitated the call for the creation of a stand-alone ministry of tourism.

He said the private sector and other stakeholders needed to key into opportunities provided by the 2022 NIHOTOUR Establishment Act.

He explained that the NIHOTOUR Act made statutory provision for the institute to work with FTAN and other trade or professional organisations in Nigeria.

Also, remarking, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), expressed concern that the culture and tourism industries had been underrated over the years.

Runsewe, however, advised the new government to ensure the culture and tourism industries were made to exist alone, separate from information sector.

He described culture and tourism as sectors that had the capacity to reduce crime rate, engaging the youths positively.

“We all need to change our attitude towards our culture and tourism because they are the new oil,” he said.