The Nasarawa State Government, in collaboration with the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), on Wednesday, began the training of 35 personnel from across the 13 Local Government Areas of the state on destination management and tour guiding.
Launching the one-week training, Mr Yusuf Musa, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, said the the training would equip the personnel to manage and promote tourism facilities, through effective information dissemination to tourists.
According to Musa, the present administration, under the leadership of Gov Abdullahi Sule, had identified tourism as huge avenue for economic diversification and empowerment of the state, hence her determination to reposition the sector.
The Permanent said Nasarawa state had what it takes; the destination of natural and cultural attractions, effective transportation links, agricultural products, security infrastructures, to make tourism a huge success for both the state and the country.
He, however, said the shortage of trained human capital to manage, promote and market existing tourism facilities, through effective information dissemination to tourists, had been a major challenge to the tourism sector in the state.
“The idea that led to the organisation this training came up on 25th March, 2021 when the Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed came to the state on a working visit, on the invitation of Gov Abdullahi Sule.
“The NIHOTOUR Director General offered to train 13 employees from the 13 LGAs of the state for free, it is in this regard that the institute is conducting this training, to equip our personnel on destination management and tour guiding,” he said.
Musa listed some potential tourist attractions in the state to include; Farin Ruwa Water Falls, Peperuwa Lake, Ginda Rock Water Shelter, Doma Dam, Akiri Warm Spring, Hunki Lake, Keana salt village, Ogani Fishing Festival, Maloney Hill, Kukan Cave, among others.
On his part, Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, Director of NIHOTOUR, who described tourism resources in Nasarawa State as unique and next to none in Nigeria, said the training became necessary to meet the sector’s dynamic nature.
Kangiwa, who was represented by HOD, Travel and Tourism Studies, Mr Edwin Enenta, said further that the training would enable the personnel to be acquainted with the state’s tourism resources, as well as the skills to market them to the world.
“It is no longer news that tourism is the highest employer of labour and an excellent generator of wealth, it is inarguably that the travel and tourism sector can re – engineer, revamp as well as redirect the Nation’s economy,” he said.
Mrs Rhoda Chube, a participant and Chief Tourism Officer in the state Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, thanked Gov Abdullahi Sule for the opportunity and promised to put the training into practice and work towards the development of tourism in the state. (NAN)
