Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NIHOTOUR, Nura Sani Kangiwa, flanked President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), M Nkereuwem Unong, and other culinary enthusiasts at the last edition of the Gastronomy Festival/Exhibition held in Abuja
NIHOTOUR’s 2023 Gastronomy Festival/Exhibition to hold at ICC, Abuja in June
National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has announced that the 2023 edition of its Gastronomy Festival/Exhibition will hold at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, from June 16 through to 17.
The 2023 Gastronomy Festival/Exhibition is the third in the series of the event which provides a platform for culinary experts and operators to showcase their products and services, as well as, gather professionals who provide masterlass to attendees.
NIHOTOUR’s Gastronomy Festival/Exhibition is a food and beverage exhibition and sampling forum annually organised by the tourism agency, presently under the Ministry of Information and Culture.
The Gastronomy Festival initiated by the administration of Nura Sani Kangiwa, Director General and Chief Executive Officer of NIHOTOUR has held since 2021.
The theme for this year’s event is; ‘Culinary Arts: The Gate Way to Growing Tourism Destination.’
Disclosing highlights of the Gastronomy Festival in his office in Abuja, the D-G, Kangiwa disclosed that festival will feature, amongst others, exhibition of indigenous gastronomy by exhibitors prominent among which are, the NIHOTOUR, ‘that will as usual, showcase indigenous Nigerian cuisines from the six-geopolitical zones of the country.’
Kangiwa further explained that due to the dearth of skilled culinary experts in Nigeria, the Gastronomy Festival ‘provides one of the best opportunities for hospitality and tourism stakeholders, students, and enthusiasts to acquire hands-on learning and perspectives on the sustainability of developing tourism destinations using activities of Gastronomy Festivals as promotional tools.’
In addition, according to Kangiwa, the Gastronomy Festival will copiously advocate Responsible Tourism practices in Nigeria, on the back of the preponderance of ‘bush meat’ hunting, using traps or guns, by wildlife hunters in Nigeria, which inadvertently endangers wildlife and hinders wildlife conservation efforts in the country.
“NIHOTOUR’s Gastronomy Festival is one of the largest and most culturally eclectic culinary arts and related gastronomy event in Africa. The event attracts over 5000 visitors and industry stakeholders who participate in the experiential learning of food production processes and indulge in free sampling of diverse Nigerian and international cuisines and beverages on display.
“Typically, the festival is laced with traditional gaiety and entertainments that highlight Nigeria’s rich cultural diversity, including musicals and dance choreography.
In previous editions, large corporate organisations, and the diplomatic community in Nigeria, including, China, Spain and Ethiopia showcased their countries’ food culture and revealed processes of cuisines preparation – from farm to the table.
“This year’s event will attract more foreign missions and corporate Nigeria brands involved in food and beverage processing, research, and development.
“Following the successes of previous NIHOTOUR Gastronomy Festivals, activities slated for this year’s 2-day event include Nigerian food and beverage exhibition by NIHOTOUR and other leading restaurant franchises; international cuisines showcasing by foreign missions in Nigeria; cooking competition by Nigerian culinary schools, ‘Jollof War’ by select West African chefs; and investiture of NIHOTOUR Fellowship on outstanding individuals who have immensely contributed to the development of Hospitality and Tourism sectors in Nigeria.
“There would also be conferences involving Nigeria’s leading tourism and hospitality stakeholders and business operators, as members of the Hospitality and Tourism Sector Skills Council of Nigeria (HTSSCN). Additionally, NIHOTOUR would deliver training and masterclass for members of the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Travel Writers (ANJET).
“The facilitators slated for ANJET training include; Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, the Director General of National Council for Arts and Culture; Mr. Buky Ponle, the Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria; and Peter Igho, creator of the most popular programme on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the Cock Crow at Dawn’ series that enthralled households in the 1970s and the 1990s.
“It is empirically evident that gastronomy is currently one of the main tourisms ‘push and pull’ factors that attract travellers to a destination. Hence, gastronomy has become a strategic tourist product that contributes to employment of host community’s youths and women, creation of wealth for investors, increased revenue streams for governments, and improving the value – chain of producing quality foods and processing the foods to hotels and catering outlets for tourism,” Kangiwa disclosed.
