Ime Akpan
Players in the tourism and transportation sectors are set to congregate for the second edition of Transport Tourism Summit and Expo 2019 slated for April 29-30 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
The president of the Institute of Tourism Professionals (ITP), Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, said in a statement that stakeholders will hold brainstorming sessions on repositioning both the tourism and transportation sectors in line with economic diversification programme of the federal government.
He said the summit, which theme is ‘Tourism and transportation inter-dependencies for inclusive growth and sustainable development’ is expected to deliberate on the complex relationship between transport provision and tourism, and will adopt global perspective throughout the deliberations touching on such critical issues as concession of airports, establishment of national carrier, development of agro-cargo terminals, critical aspects of tourism-transport relationship, tourism-transport interface: symbolic relationships, air transport: shrinking the world and developing mass tourism, premium long-haul airlines and destination development cruise tourism and ferries, the new reality for water passenger transport, ground based transport, current policy and economic issues in transportation, subsidisation of transport provision, passenger security, supply/demand- managing externalities, establishment of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) centre, stablishment of aviation leasing company (ALC), development of airport cities (aerotropolis).
The sub-themes, according to Odusanwo include: potentialities of developing regional inter-connectivity in Africa, inter-modal connectivity, traveler safety and security, development of critical infrastructure and the ease of doing business in Nigeria- the case of tourism and transportation industries, and building capacity for global best practice in tourism and transportation sectors.
“The International Tourism Transport Summit and Expo is aimed at bringing all players in the tourism and transport industries so that issues hindering the growth of the two sectors can be tackled without sentiments but with all sense of sincerity of purpose and patriotic zeal for economic and social good of the country.
“Nigeria’s efforts and experiences at diversifying the economy from mono-based economy; totally dependent on petroleum exports, by promoting non- petroleum sector with particular highlight on the successful development of tourism has been torturous and had suffered many pitfalls. This is because the various linkages and connecting sub sectors that will make tourism growth prosper, in particular transportation, has been lacking.
“Tourism and transport Connectivity are critical issues relating with bridging transport and tourism policies will reaffirming the need for developing programmes of inter-ministerial cooperation between bodies responsible for tourism and transport so as to improve and strengthen the basic conditions for sustainable development of both industries.
“International Tourism Transport Summit is created to deliberate on the complex relationship between transport provision and tourism in boosting the economy of both sectors
“The opportunity to forge the desired synergy between tourism and other vital lined sectors especially of transportation is now being offered by the tourism Transport Summit and Expo,” he said.
Odusanwo said the minister of information and culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed will present the keynote address.
Also listed to attend the event include the minister of transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, minister of state for aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika and the managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman.
Some government officials and practitioners across tourism and transport sectors have been announced as awardees for the gala and award night of the summit.
Apart from Mohammed, Amaechi, Sirika and Usman, the other awardees are the president and founder of La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, Otunba Wanle Akinboboye, the directors general of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Otunba Segun Runsewe and the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mr. Folorunsho Folarin-Coker, president and chief executive officer of Transcorp Group Inc, Mr. Valentine Ozigbo, and Chief Samuel Alabi of Eko Hotels and Suites.
