The Nigerian government has mapped out a master plan to develop tourism to diversify its single- product economy, a senior Nigerian official said at the weekend.
Nigerian Federal Minister of Culture and Tourism Femi Fani- Kayode told a media interactive session in the nation's commercial capital Lagos that the tourism master plan was the roadmap for the development of Nigeria's tourism sector.
"Tourism master plan is an excellent blueprint and the way forward for tourism industry," he said, adding that "if we don't have such a plan, it will be difficult to ascertain where we are going."
The minister said the government would expedite action on the document to bring life into the sector. On the problem of funding, he said it was regrettable that lack of fund had hindered the growth and development of the sector, noting that the sector equally deserved the priority attention being given to the oil and gas.
"Our neglect of tourism sector over the years was as a result of our over-dependence on crude oil," he said.
The minister explained that countries like South Africa and Ghana spent millions of U.S. dollars to develop their tourism sector and later allowed the private sector to take it over.
He stressed the importance of the sector to Nigeria's economic advancement, which, he said, was a key to the current administration.
Fani-Kayode said he had initiated an ongoing discussion with President Olusegun Obasanjo to ensure a methodological financing through which the private sector would access cheap loans for the development of the sector.
He acknowledged the nation's tourism potentials in areas of culture, monument, beaches, and arts and crafts.
He said the ministry would carry out some reforms to enhance professionalism in marketing and promotion of the tourism potentials both locally and internationally.
Fani-Kayode urged private sectors both at home and abroad to complement the government's efforts in developing the sector, adding that with substantial funding, the tourism and culture sector would improve greatly.
The minister said he welcomed constructive criticism from the media, but cautioned against negative reports that could give the country a bad image.
Source: Xinhua