A university don and visiting professor to NICO Training School, Abuja Study Centre, Professor Emmanuel Dandaura of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), has opined that tourism industry, as a powerful driver of the economies of nations, accounts for massive employment and revenue generation of countries even more than crude oil.
Professor Dandaura made this assertion on Monday, 27th April, 2015 in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, during a lecture with Post Graduate Diploma in Cultural Administration (PGDCA) students at the NICO Training School, Abuja Study Centre.
The university don, who also expressed dismay on the lack of development of the tourism sector in Nigeria, said, “Tourism Industry in Nigeria is still operating below 30% capacity even as tourism becomes the fastest growing industry globally,” attributing this to lack of reliable statistics, knowledge about Nigeria as a tourist destination, and lack of proper record of tourism activities.
He also supported calls for the establishment of a national carrier so as to generate revenue for the nation’s economy, because, according to him, not having a national carrier was seriously affecting the economy negatively, arguing that, Nigerians who patronize foreign airlines, such as the British Airways only develops the British economy as the nation is gets little or nothing in return.
Philemon Udeh, Omogiade Sandra & Okatta Theodora
NICO Training School, Abuja