Lagos – Some stakeholders in the hospitality and tourism industry on Thursday said that the industry could be a veritable platform to drive huge investment opportunities to the country with right policies in place.
They said this at the formal opening of the 2015 Nigeria Hotel and Tourism Investment Conference, with the theme: “Nigeria`s Tourism Industry; Catalyst for Economic Diversification,’’ in Lagos.
They advised the various governments to create the enabling environment for investment and amend the tourism and hospitality policy so that the sector would be investors’ friendly.
Mr Gabe Onah, the Chairman, Cross River State Carnival Commission, said that tourism has contributed immensely to the nation`s economic growth.
He said that the hospitality industry kept expanding day-by-day with excellence hospitality treatment by hotel operators.
Onah said that the annual carnival Calabar was also a tourism and cultural potential that had helped to attract millions of tourists into the country.
“ Nigeria is blessed with enormous tourism potential that can be used to magnetize both local and foreign investors.
“National festivals, carnivals, historical sites are some of the tourism and cultural prospects that can provide huge investment opportunity for the country, “ Onah said.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
The Chairman, African Centre for Business Development, Mr Mazi Ohuabunwa, said that Nigeria has all the tourism and hospitality investment opportunity that could be used to attract investors.
Ohuabunwa said that the only thing left was for the Federal Government to put every necessary thing in place to drive the sector.
“Investors are willing and ready to invest in the Nigeria rich tourism, cultural and hospitality potential but some certain things need to be put in place before the investment.
“Therefore, government needs to create the enabling environment for investment, “ he said.
Mrs Laura Alakija, the Managing Associate, Sterling Partnership, legal practitioners, urged government to amend the tourism and hospitality policy and make it friendly for investment.
Alakija said that the law binding investment in the hospitality industry needs to be review to make it more favourable for investment.
Earlier, Mr Brian Efa, the Managing Partner, Jonel Hospitality Consulting and organizers of the event, said that the conference would give various stakeholders the opportunity to network and discuss on how to exploit domestic tourism market.
Efa said that Nigeria was endowed with enormous potential that could be utilized to create employment and increase the nation`s revenue.
He urged the Federal Government to adequately fund the sector and collaborate with the private investors to develop the industry. (NAN)
