By Opeyemi Aremu-Gbemiro
The President of the National Association of Tour Operators in Nigeria, (NATOP) Hajia Biliqis Abdul, has congratulated the Presidential candidates of various political parties on their emergence.
Abdul, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Abuja-based Bboog Travels and Tours, congratulated the candidates in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday.
Abdul specifically congratulated the three frontline candidates, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress,, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party and Mr Peter Obi of Labour Party,
She tasked the candidates on the necessity to design a blueprint for the development of tourism in Nigeria.
“It is my sincere happiness that the trio are not only distinguished Nigerians with enviable records of excellent performance at different posts of responsibility, but also glad that each of them has invested substantially in the tourism and hospitality sector of this country.
“It is on this note that I am urging all of them at this onset to see the tourism sector of the Nigeria economy as a major concern of their development plan in their economic blueprint for Nigeria.
“The tourism economy in Nigeria is such of humongous proportion which has not enjoyed a flash of interest from successive government in Nigeria.
“They must see tourism as an alternative source of revenue and a potent economic booster with the largesse of its low hanging fruits without heavy investment like the oil or mining sector,” she said.
The Bboog Travels and Tours CEO, attributed the long neglect of tourism to deprivation and lack of proper advocacy from the practitioners and their failure to call the attention of political gladiators to the needs in tourism development in their policy documents and blueprints.
“This is the main reason why I am calling on all our presidential candidates of each party to put tourism development as a critical sector of their developmental policy in their blueprints.
“I am also challenging them to ensure the planting of tourism as the alternative source of revenue generation for the nation.
“While I am congratulating all the candidates for emerging as their party flag bearer, I prayed the Almighty to protect them as they strive to clinch the seat of the Presidency of this country,”She said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng).
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Edited by Remi Koleoso/Isaac Aregbesola
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