The Society of Tourism Practitioners of Nigeria (STPN) has called on government to reduce taxes and levies payable by investors in the hospitality sector, so as to promote tourism in the country.
Chukwuemeka Ogbu, Chairman, STPN, Enugu State, made the call on Sunday in an event to mark the ‘2021 World Tourism Day’ in the state under the theme: ‘Tourism for inclusive growth’.
The event was organised by the STPN, in collaboration with the Nigeria Tourism Development Cooperation (NTDC) and the Enugu state government.
According to him, granting of reliefs and tax holiday by government agencies would encourage and boost the tourism sector.
Ogbu noted that the tourism sector plays a significant role in employment and contributed to the country’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He, therefore, warned that any attempt to burden the industry with multiple taxes and levies would lead to negative growth in the sector.
The chairman pleaded with the Enugu State government to provide an enabling environment, through the provision of adequate security and access roads to tourism centres.
“For the industry to thrive in the state, certain urgent measures must be put in place.
“And there is the urgent need for the state government, through its Ministry of Culture and Tourism, to create activities and events that will promote culture, festivals and carnivals, during festive periods,” Ogbu said.
He added that the state was a good destination for tourism development due to the attraction of its various tourism sites.
The Zonal Coordinator, NTDC, South-East, Mrs Annette Ibe said the occasion offered the World Tourism Body, as well as member nations, the opportunity to create awareness on the impact of tourism and its social-cultural, economic and political value.
She described the world tourism day as a period of stock taking and performance evaluation, explaining that the theme for this year highlighted the power of tourism to carry every one along, from the biggest airline to the smallest family business.
Ibe said tourism in the 21st century had became a critical player in inclusive and sustainable growth.
Tourism sites, she noted, had taken on global significance in terms of the steep rise in their numbers, their economic contributions and cultural penetration of other societies.
“Nigeria has the size, the population, diverse cultural and physical attractions and all these make her one of the most lucrative nations for tourism inclusive growth.
“The South East Zone is equally endowed with rich tourism potentials which, when developed, will provide a multiplier effect in the area of job creation, revenue generation, socio-cultural integration and poverty alleviation”.
Also contributing, the General Manager, Enugu Tourism Board, Mr Steve Odo, noted that growth in tourism provided opportunities for job creation, improvement and equity.
Enugu has sustainable tourism potentials in place due to the relative peace and security in the state, he said, noting, “Tourism cannot thrive without peace and security. The state is secured and I thank Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for it.”
Odoh urged stakeholders in the industry to take tourism serious, as oil was gradually exhausting. ”So, think about tourism as if it is the only way.”
Mr Ugonna Ibeh, the Enugu state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, also described tourism as an alternative means of generating income for the country, saying that the state had so many tourist sites which, if revamped, would enhance growth and development.
The commissioner, therefore, charged stakeholders to take ownership of these sites and develop them as tourism was private sector driven.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ‘The World Tourism Day’ is an annual and global event celebrated every 27th September, having begun on Nov.1, 1975 when the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) was founded.
As a specialized agency of the United Nations, it was saddled with the responsibility of promoting sustainable tourism around the world.