Nigeria Gets Nod to Host 2022 Global Tourism Event 

Nigeria has recieved another boost in global tourism attraction.

The country received the go ahead on Wednesday in Cape Verde to host the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Regional Conference in 2022.

Nigeria’s Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed revealed this in Sal Island, Cape Verde, after a meeting with the Secretary-General of the UNWTO, Mr Zurab Pololikashvili on Wednesday.

The Minister said that the Nigerian tourism and creative sector was chosen because of the comparative advantage and strong points of Nigeria in the areas of films, music, fashion and the creative industry.

“Nigeria is better known for its music, films and for its culture and Nigeria music and films are exported for foreign exchange.

“It is no more news that the Nigerian music and movie industries have taken both the African and global stage by storm with many Nigerian artistes gaining global recognition, among who are Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage and Whiz Kid who won the latest Grammy Awards in different categories”.

The Minister recalled that Burna Boy, a Nigerian Afrobeat star recently sold out the 02 Arena in London, same as his compatriots Whiz kid, Davido and Tiwa Savage at different occasions respectively.

Boosting tourism

As Nigeria is making frantic efforts to diverse the country’s economy away from oil, investing in infrastructure that will help boost the tourism sector to drive the economy positively is needed.

Thus the Nigerian delegation headed by Alhaji Lai Mohammed was in Cape Verde to attend the 64th Conference of UNWTO Commission for Africa and the Second Edition of the UNWTO Global Tourism Investment Forum.

Founded on Nov. 1, 1975, the UNWTO is a specialised agency entrusted with the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

The UNWTO Secretary General, Mr Pololikashvili said the regional conference, to be hosted in Nigeria in 2022 would focus on tourism and the creative industry.

It would be recalled that the 61st edition of the ongoing UNWTO Commission for Africa conference was held in Abuja, Nigeria in 2018.

Emmanuel Ukoh