Digitalization Of Tourism Has Developed Competitiveness- NTDC

The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), has said that digitalisation of the Nigerian tourism industry, has brought flexibility into the tourism business in Nigeria.

The Director-General of NTDC, Chief Folorunsho Coker stated this on Wednesday at the North-West Stakeholders forum held in Kano, with the theme, “The prospects of Nigerian Tourism in a digital economy.” Coker said that the digitalisation, had also brought about more competitiveness into the industry, thus, creating opportunities for the digitally savvy, to earn high income.

Represented by Fibi Ikilama, Head of the National Travel Bureau, Coker said the forum aimed at stimulating ideas to drive further growth of the tourism industry.

According to him, “The digital marketing and e-commerce space, had created access to new markets for many Nigerian companies and youths, many of whom have an online presence.” He stressed that the contributions of digital companies in Nigeria to job creation, value addition and the economy had been salutary. At the corporation, it is believed that to become a tourism hub in Africa, there was need to develop domestic tourism first. The development of domestic tourism he explained, would increase the country’s attraction to sponsors and investors. “They will in turn develop the industry, develop our tourism assets, leading to further infrastructural development that will let loose the huge potentials of the industry,” Coker said.

The board during a courtesy visit to the emir

In his remarks, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado-Bayero, commended the agency for upgrading the tourism sector in the country.

Bayero called on all stakeholders to educate the public on the importance of domestic tourism and to also create more engagement in airline operations especially in Kano.

The state Commissioner for Tourism and Culture, Alhaji Ibrahim Karaye in his remarks, pledged continuous support of the Ganduje administration in boosting tourism in Kano and the country at large. Karaye, represented by the Executive Secretary of Kano Tourism Board, Alhaji Ibrahim Yusuf, said the administration had invested much in the sector.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), has organised a one day forum for the North-West zone in Kano. The forum with the theme “The prospects of Nigerian Tourism in a digital economy,” aimed at expanding the tourism sector at the digital scale. The forum had many stakeholders in tourism from Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi and Katsina states. (NAN)