BY Onyeka Ezike
The President , National Association of Nigeria Tour Operation( Natop) Hajia Bolaji Mustapha, said that her association is ready to collaborate with relevant government ministries to promote domestic tourism in Nigeria
Hajia Mustapha who spoke on Thursday during a live radio appearance on Creative Nigeria, a weekly Tourism and Cultural magazine program on Mainland 98.3 FM, Lagos anchored by veteran award winning cultural tourism journalist, Frank Meke and Bunmi Bade Adeniji every Thursday, noted that the business of marketing and promoting Nigeria should not be left alone to the government.
She said that her team is focused on working with relevant tourism and culture ministries to promote Nigeria as a tourism destination and to ensure that tourism business in Nigeria is diligently seen and regarded as a key economic player and unemployment buster.
“We have realized that most Nigerians do not know Nigeria, and in our advocacy, and as an internal mechanism, we at natop have always moved around our meetings to drive knowledge about Nigeria. That is what we have used our Annual General Meeting (AGM) to do, we have achieved this by moving around to different destinations like the recent one held in Kwara State.
She furtherexplained that, “We had a meeting with the Director General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, and he shared with us his plans for tourism and culture in Nigeria and the cultural festival NAFEST, and how we can can collaborate together.
“In anything they will be doing, we want them to keep a space for us because without the Tour Operators, most of these things can not be achieved. ” After that, we also had a meeting with the Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), and we discussed our intentions and how we can collaborate in the World Travel Market (WTM), how we can sell our product Nigeria to the world, and we need the government to create that platform for us.
” One of the highlights of our discussion with NTDA was how we can create an African Market, whereby we invite other countries to come and buy our product, and experience Nigeria, turning our passion to businesses to help us build our economy” Natop president informed
According to Haijia Bolaji, NATOP also plans to bring in young minds in tourism and collaborate with them, educate and train them to ensure that together Nigerian tourism can move forward.
She said that NATOP is ready and open for collaboration with the various stakeholders in the tourism industry, validating the natop drive to partner with concerned agencies and even with most state governments in Nigeria.
“Our last AGM in Kwara, a lot of young cyclists showed up in Ilorin showcasing the blessed cultural heritage in Nigeria like the Kwara culture, noting further
“We are coming up with different packages in partnership with some airlines to plan a trip to Kwara for reduced prices for a tour to experience the Local cuisines, such as the Kwara Jollof rice, amala and Ekuru, Pepper Sauce, Igbomina and Wara Cheese Curds, which can be boiled and fried.
Speaking about the food offerings of Kwara, Haijia Mustapha said,”
On day two of the AGM, during lunch, we served local food to promote the Kwara Local delicacy and the economy at large. The rice that was served that day was mainly Ofoda Rice with dry fish and Towo Shinkaafaa. All the food produced in Kwara was served at lunchtime. One of the things the high commissioner appreciated was the involvement of the local food vendors at the AGM, and it deliberately targeted at developing the Kwara Economy.
“We used the AGM to showcase the rich cuisine of the Kwara People as all the meals were prepared by the Indigenous people of Kwara, we used the AGM to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the Kwara State. Like the Dubar community that showcased the Dubar culture with over 10 horses to thrill the audience and invited guests.” She stated.