Nigeria’s Tourism minister unveils ambitious plan to boost domestic tourism
The Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Lola Ade-John, has been engaging in a series of high-level meetings with her counterparts in other ministries to identify and address key challenges hindering the growth of domestic tourism. This is in a bid to revitalize Nigeria’s tourism industry.
Recently, she met with the Minister of Transport, Alhaji Said Alkali, to discuss ways to leverage the country’s rail and road infrastructure to improve domestic tourism. The two ministers agreed to establish a joint committee comprising Nigerian Tour Operators to develop a framework for implementing an effective domestic tourism project.
The committee will work to identify and capitalize on existing transport infrastructure, providing tour operators with the tools they need to grow their businesses and increase tourist arrivals. This initiative is expected to have a significant impact on the country’s economy, creating jobs and stimulating local economic growth.
In addition to her meeting with the Minister of Transport, Mrs. Ade-John has also engaged with her counterpart in the Interior Ministry to ease visa access for African travelers coming to Nigeria.
She has been working closely with the Minister and Comptroller General of Nigerian Immigration Service to resolve issues associated with visa on arrival, with a focus on reducing the cost of obtaining a visa.
The Minister’s advocacy has already received praise from event organizers, who have expressed appreciation for her efforts to address the challenges faced by the tourism industry. Her commitment to engaging with stakeholders and listening to their concerns has been particularly noteworthy, with Mrs. Ade-John attending more tourism events in one year than many of her predecessors did in four.
As part of her ongoing efforts to support the industry, the Minister has promised to engage with other interdependent ministries and departments to ease the challenges faced by stakeholders.
Her ultimate goal is to create a more conducive environment for tourism to thrive, driving economic growth and development across the country.
