Efforts of the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Board, Mrs. Sally Mbanefo, to open up the sector seems to be bearing results as political office holders and heads of some agencies are planning to collaborate with the corporation.
Since she assumed office last year, Mbanefo has been discussing with various institutions, networking with them on how to boost the sector in the country.
In the past few days, reports indicate that Mbanefo was in Taraba and Benue states, where she met with government officials there.
One of the recent strategic alliances she has, however, struck is with the Nigerian Immigration Service. During a visit to the Comptroller-General of the NIS, Mr. David Parradang, he lauded Mbanefo for evolving a sustainable vision needed to kick-start the blossoming of the tourism sector in Nigeria.
According to a statement from the NTDC, Parradang, who received Mbanefo and her delegation in his office last Wednesday in Abuja, said he was particularly happy that she had been living up to expectation and spreading the gospel of domestic tourism in the country. He described tourism’ as the magic and a potent instrument capable of kindling the zeal of tourism consciousness in the nation.
“I am happy that you have discovered what is necessary and needed to unlock the hidden potentialities of this sector. You will discover that most of the countries reaping bountifully from tourism today first of all looked inwards, took the tourism inventory in their countries, drove the consciousness in their own people, developed the sites , enhanced them and later invited foreigners to come and see.
“This is exactly what Nigeria needs to do and it gladdens my heart that you are not only talking it, but doing everything practically possible to bring it to be,” the immigration boss was quoted as saying.
Parradang also said that statistics within the agency revealed that foreigners love to visit Nigeria tourism sites, but some of them are skeptical about the status and facilities available. Urging Mbanefo to work on that area, he assured her that the government was working on a visa regime that would encourage more foreigners to visit Nigeria.
While commending Parradang for his understanding of the potential of tourism sector, Mbanefo said her hopes had been boosted by his position.
She said, “I am impressed by your brilliant overview and suggestion about the sector, which revealed the fact that you are not only a thoroughbred immigration boss but also one having an informed global perspective of tourism trends. This is a good sign for us at the NTDC. The NIS is a very important stakeholder to us and it will be unwise if I did not pay respect to you and seek collaboration and advice. As a partner in progress, we want a strong partnership with Nigeria Immigration Service, in the area of easy Visa regime for the entire tourist that will attract the foreign investors.”
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