Expert Urges Employment Generation Through Tourism

The Zonal Coordinator,
National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, Lagos Campus, Mr Wale Odeyemi, has urged the Federal Government to develop domestic tourism in order to boost employment in the country.
Odeyemi told journalists in Lagos recently that such an effort would reduce unemployment in the country, especially among the youths.
According to him, the tourism industry can be properly developed to pave way for more employment opportunities for the nation’s teeming army of youths.
“Tourism employs over 40 per cent of the nation’s workforce, ranging from the airline workers, hospitality operators, tour operators and travel agents.
“The sector is so vast and comprises other sectors of the economy in the country.
“Therefore, if developed, the sector will solve the problem of unemployment among the youth,’’ Odeyemi said.
He said that government should focus on infrastructure development to boost the tourism sector.
“Well developed infrastructure will attract both local and foreign investors to invest in the sector, thereby creating job opportunities for the unemployed.
“Government should therefore intensify efforts by ensuring that infrastructure is adequately developed,’’ Odeyemi said.
He urged the government to ensure that neglected tourism sites were revived to enhance development of the sector.
Odeyemi also urged tour operators to ensure that the nation’s tourism potential was well-packaged to attract both foreign investors and tourists into the country.