Operator Laments Tourism Sector Underdevelopment

A tourism operator, Mrs
Chinyere Umeasiegbu, has lamented over the under development of tourism sub-sector, saying that over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s tourists centre were not developed.
Umeasiegbu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Global Link Travel and Tours stated this in a telephone chat with newsmen in Lagos.
She said that the tourists centres in the country should be given facelift, adding that Nigeria had thousands of tourism sites that are yet to be developed, and that government should urgently concentrate toward developing them.
“The only thing government can do to exploit the huge tourism potential in the country, is to adopt the public, private partnership (PPP) initiative.
“Government can not fully harness the nation’s tourism resources except it has the support of the private investors, she said.
Umeasieghbu identified beaches, wildlife, parks, monuments, event centres, galleries, culture, festivals, airports, and museums as some of the major tourist attraction centres across the country.
“All these tourism potential can contribute 50 per cent of the nations revenue, if well harressed and properly funded.
“Visitors and tourists do visit the country day by day to see if there are new things, new places and developments in the tourism industry.
“Reviving and upgrading the nation’s tourists centres would boost foreign exchange earnings,” she said. Umeasiegbu urged the Federal Government to assist  private investors to develop the nation’s enormous tourism potential.
“With the involvement and support of private investors, stakeholders and Non-Governmental Organisations  (NGOs), the nation’s toruism industry would grow and Nigeria would be a preferred tourism destination.