Abia plans upgrade of hospitality, tourism sector to global standards

From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia

Abia State government says plans were afoot to upgrade the hospitality industry and tourism sector in the state to meet global standards with the deployment of technology, among other strategies.

As part of the plans to make the sector one of the state’s economy drivers, the government has assured that it would create channels for enhancing the visibility of Abia’s hospitality industry on the digital space and further drive the hospitality businesses to deliver world class services. It, however, emphasized that to achieve this goal, government would forge a partnership with stakeholders.

The State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, disclosed this through his Chief of Staff, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, during a meeting with members of Nigeria Hotel Association and Hotel Proprietors Association in Umuahia.

Governor Otti said the move was to apply creative strategies to reshape, develop and strengthen the hospitality industry and tourism sector not only to meet global standards but to boost the state’s economy.

He said that the rebuilding agenda of his government was focused on achievement of even distribution of socio-economic development, adding that hotel owners have a vital role to play in this regard.

“We are here to kick start what would be an enduring legacy in terms of reshaping the perception of stakeholders in the hospitality industry. We are also looking at creative ways to move the hospitality industry forward and one of the takeaways we are looking at is building partnership with stakeholders,” the Governor said.

According to him, while government would do everything to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, it was the task of entrepreneurs to drive the process to boost wealth creation. He further assured that the government would create channels that would enhance the visibility of Abia’s hospitality industry on the digital space, and further drive the hospitality businesses to deliver world class services.

Commissioner for Small and Medium Enterprises and Digital Economy, Dr Matthew Ekwuruibe, at the meeting, urged stakeholders in the hospitality industry to align with government’s rebuilding agenda.

Dr. Ekwuruibe said that plans were underway to build a website for hotels listing and booking, as well as connecting the hotels to Google Map. He explained that the website would contain information about tourism centers in Abia.

He said that the use of digital technology to reinvent the hospitality industry holds a lot of benefits such as increased visibility, enhanced ease of doing business, among others.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu, said that the hospitality industry plays a central role in improving the economy of any State.

He  said that “the hospitality industry was central to any government that was interested in growing its economy,” adding that “the relationship between government and the hotel owners is a relationship that needs to grow into a partnership to transform the hospitality industry.”

In his address, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Tourism and Entertainment, Mr. Martins Justice, described the hospitality industry as the bedrock of the tourism sector. He said that government was working to build a hospitality industry that would meet the demands of the 21st Century as well as develop the tourism sector

Contributing, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Kazie Uko, described the meeting as a deliberate effort by the government to transform the hospitality industry in the State. Mr. Uko said that the engagement between the government and stakeholders had created a viable opportunity to address the issues inhibiting the growth of the industry in the State.

Earlier, the National Treasurer of Nigeria Hotel Association, Mr Charles Ezeala and a member of Hotel Proprietors Association, Aba branch, Mr. Nnanna Ngwakwe, called on the State government to has a great role to play in assisting hotel businesses to thrive in order for the hospitality industry to be transformed. 

They highlighted some of their challenges in hotel businesses in Abia to include poor power supply and bad road network, among others; and called for the state government’s urgent intervention in addressing the challenges threatening the advancement of the industry in Abia. The hoteliers appreciated the commitment of the Governor Alex Otti-led administration in creating an enabling environment in the State and boosting of their businesses and commended him for organising the meeting.