The Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mr Folurunsho Coker, has emphasised the need for concerted effort to develop domestic tourism during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coker stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Abuja.
He explained that domestic tourism offered a rare opportunity for reflection and recalibration to grow again because it was uniquely equipped to be part of the national recovery effort.
According to Coker, domestic tourism is cheaper, because there are no visas, Forex, roaming GSM among others.
READ ALSO :Coronavirus: Thousands Quarantined After Germany Abattoir Outbreak
He added that domestic tourism required fewer restrictions and less education, generated employment and revenue as well as reduced rural-urban migration and poverty.
He encouraged domestic tourism, saying it enhanced the creative sector, galvanised economic growth across sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing.
Coker explained that the benefits would contribute to infrastructure upgrade by encouraging governments’ commitment to its development.
He observed that businesses that relied on the convergence of people in defined spaces for recreation, entertainment, or other reasons were the worst hit by the pandemic.
He stated that such problems would arise in view of the need for social distancing to reduce the spread of the virus.
He also disclosed that air travel, theatres, events/festivals, cinemas, sporting events, religious gatherings, others had all been negatively impacted.
He further said that the COVID-19 pandemic that hit travel and tourism hard would bring change in travel behaviours as consumers would stay closer home for holidays, hence the need for promotion of domestic tourism.
“At NTDC we realise that any proposed strategic path for recovery envisaged for the industry must leverage on innovative and disruptive ideas that are technology-driven.
“This will enhance and promote the best of Nigeria after the pandemic.
“The Soft Power of Nigeria and our digital penetration, supported incentives and possible financial support packages from the government for businesses within the industry will truly make a difference.
“The virus has already remapped people’s lives as we know it and it may never return to the old normal.”
Coker explained that the tourism bouquet in Nigeria comprised many channels that included sports, music, fashion, film, food, religion, arts and festivals.
“To achieve our objectives, we are using the ‘Tour Nigeria” brand to leverage on all of these existing channels to promote Nigeria locally and internationally.
“We aim to partner all stakeholders to promote the best of Nigeria and attract our citizens and foreign nationals to experience our tourism assets and creative products and services, ” he added.