Acting Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Mariel Rae-Omoh

The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and the Institute for Tourism Professionals (ITP) are forming a strong synergy to ensure development and promotion of the Nigerian tourism industry.

The Acting Director-General of the corporation, Mrs. Mariel Rae-Omoh, while receiving the National President of ITP, Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, in her office in Abuja, expressed the readiness of her administration to work with the stakeholders in the industry to practically develop and promote the Nigerian tourism industry.

Rae-Omoh, who reiterated her commitment to move the corporation forward, commended the continued efforts of ITP to ensure that Nigeria stands tall in the comity of tourism nations.

Odusanwo, earlier in his speech, commended the Rae-Omoh led-administration, which according to him, will move tourism development and promotion in the country from mere rhetoric to fruition.

He then conveyed the readiness of the institute to technically support NTDC to facilitate achievement of sustainable tourism for development in Nigeria.

“The objective of the proposal is to support NTDC and other stakeholders to identify areas that need to be strengthened in the approach to sustainable tourism, especially in the areas of branding, marketing and product positioning. Others include clarity and focus of the brand and marketing plan as well as the quality and diversity of the product offer and to seek assistance within the context of international priorities and policies for sustainable development,” Odusanwo explained.

This was coming on the heels of the declaration of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations (UN). The decision followed the recognition by the global leaders at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) that ‘well-designed and well-managed tourism’ can contribute immensely to the three dimensions of sustainable development, job creation and trade.

The National President of the Institute conferred on the Acting NTDC Boss, the Membership of ITP, giving her the International Membership Certificate, which according to him, was due to her since 2014.

In her reaction, Mrs. Rae-Omoh expressed the readiness of her administration to work with the institute, while commending its offer to develop the capacity of the NTDC staff.