Expert Seeks Tourism Dev

The Director, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Mr Ernest Obia, on Tuesday in Abuja said that tourism was a catalyst necessary to foster inter-group relations.

Obia told the newsmen  that tourism had the potential to unite diverse groups for national unity and development.

According to him, tourism promotes harmony and socio-cultural relations between groups of diverse social-cultural backgrounds.

He said that since no group or human community, notwithstanding the level of development, could exist in isolation “cultural interaction is inevitable’’.

“Indeed, it needs no mentioning that the complexity and dialectics of existence ordinarily dictate that each human group consciously or unconsciously relates with other groups for survival,’’ he added.

The director said that political survival of any community depended on the relationship it had with its neighbours whether friendly or hostile.

Obia said that relationships could exist in forms such as trade, diplomatic ties, management of trade, route boundaries, water resources and wars, among others.

He, however, urged stakeholders in the tourism industry to explore its potential in driving the course of national unity.

Obia, who described tourism as a hospitality industry, said that it should be used to promote inter-tribal and religious cooperation and relations.