The Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ABUCCIMA) has pledged to form a strategic alliance with the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) to promote the Nigeria’s tourism industry, using domestic tourism as a catalyst.

The First Deputy President of ABUCCIMA, Mr Tony Ejinkeonye, who led the four-man delegation on a courtesy call on the Director-General of NTDC, Mrs Sally Mbanefo, lauded the unprecedented feats of the NTDC boss since she assumed office in May 2013, saying that her efforts has put the Nigeria’s tourism industry, via domestic tourism, on the pedestal of rapid development.

“Sally Mbanefo really deserve a resounding applause for her immense and unprecedented strides at promoting domestic tourism in Nigeria, which in turns will create wealth and employment for the people at the grassroots level, and encourage integration of culture within Nigeria,” Ejinkeonye said.

The First Deputy President of ABUCCIMA gave assurance of an abiding alliance with NTDC, saying that “there is continuity in ABUCCIMA system of government, which will ensure that our alliance with NTDC is continual. We will ensure that we explore the good number of foreigners who participate in our trade fairs to promote the domestic tourism promotion initiative of the Sally Mbanefo led-administration.”

Mbanefo in her response enjoined the private sectors to associate with NTDC, saying that “we need the private sectors’ participation in the development and promotion of tourism in Nigeria. We need the private sector to take over the ownership of the Nigeria’s tourism industry.”

Mbanefo explained further that “we started the restructuring and repositioning of the Nigeria’s tourism industry from scratch. We have started creating awareness on our rich domestic tourism, encouraging Nigerians to travel within Nigeria, and also foreigners to visit Nigeria and appreciate our fascinating tourist sites and crowd-pulling cultural festivals. Our goal is that in the next two years, we should be able to have developed at least one tourist site in each of the six geo-political zones in the country.

“We are promoting domestic tourism to create wealth and jobs at the grassroots level, to reduce urban migration, to encourage integration of culture within Nigeria and to encourage unity.

“There are three things working for us in Nigeria: business, religion and entertainment tourism. But we want a situation whereby people coming for business, religion or entertainment tourism will patronise our tourist sites and attend our interesting cultural festivals, which will in turns create wealth and job opportunities for the people at the grassroots level.”

Left-Right: Vice President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture (ABUCCIMA) Engineer Taiwo Oluseyi, Vice President, Public Relations, ABUCCIMA, Barrister Jude Igwe, Board Member,  Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation  (NTDC), Andy Nkemneme, Director General,  Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation  (NTDC) Mrs. Sally Mbanefo  and 1^st Deputy President, ABUCCIMA, Chief Tony Ejinkeonye  discussing during a  courtesy call on the Director General  by ABUCCIMA  at the corporate headquarters of the corporation in Abuja recently.

Left-Right: Vice President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines & Agriculture (ABUCCIMA) Engineer Taiwo Oluseyi, Ag. Director, Marketing & Promotions Department,  Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) Mrs. Fibi  Ikilama, Vice President, Public Relations, ABUCCIMA, Barrister Jude Igwe, Board Member,  Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation  (NTDC), Andy Nkemneme, Director General,  Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation  (NTDC) Mrs. Sally Mbanefo,  1^st Deputy President, ABUCCIMA, Chief Tony Ejinkeonye,  Head Legal, NTDC, Mrs Funebi Out-Umondak and  Board Member, NTDC, Johnson Odekina in a group photograph  during a  courtesy call on the Director General by ABUCCIMA at the corporate headquarters of the corporation in Abuja recently.

The Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation  (NTDC) Mrs. Sally Mbanefo flanked by Board Member, NTDC, Andy Nkemneme (Left), Board Member, NTDC, Johnson Odekina (2^nd Left) and 1^st Deputy President, ABUCCIMA, Chief Tony Ejinkeonye (Right) in a group photograph during a  courtesy call on the Director General  by ABUCCIMA  at the corporate headquarters of the corporation in Abuja recently.