Nigeria and China are seeking to deepen tourism cooperation as part of efforts to create jobs, attract investment, develop skills and drive economic growth.

The initiative took centre stage on Tuesday at the Seminar on China’s Tourism Development Experience in Abuja, organised by the Chinese Embassy in collaboration with the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA).

The seminar examined China’s experience in transforming tourism into an important component of economic development and explored how Nigeria could adapt relevant lessons to its own circumstances.

Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy, Yang Jianxing, said both countries had vast tourism resources and could gain from stronger cooperation in the sector.

He pointed to China’s landscapes, history and cultural heritage, alongside Nigeria’s natural attractions, diverse cultures and hospitality, as assets that could support greater tourism development.

Yang noted that the seminar came as Nigeria and China mark 55 years of diplomatic relations and China observes the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

He said China had developed considerable experience in public tourism services, destination development, cultural tourism, smart tourism, market promotion and talent development.

The diplomat called for a partnership that would allow both countries to learn from each other rather than turn the seminar into a one-way presentation of China’s experience.

“We look forward to both sides strengthening exchanges and deepening cooperation,” Yang said.

He identified tourism education, hotel management, eco-tourism, cultural heritage, digitalisation, destination marketing and business partnerships as areas for collaboration.

He added that tourism could create jobs and promote economic growth while bringing the peoples of both countries closer together.

For NIHOTOUR, the focus is on building the skills and institutional capacity required to convert Nigeria’s tourism resources into sustainable economic value.

Its Director-General, Dr Abisoye Fagade, said his recent participation in a tourism development programme in Beijing gave him first-hand insight into how China had used tourism for economic development, cultural preservation, rural revitalisation and community prosperity.

Fagade noted that Nigeria had no shortage of tourism assets but needed stronger systems to turn them into lasting economic benefits.

According to him, the NIHOTOUR Act provided an institutional foundation for strengthening professionalism, skills development and standards in the hospitality and tourism industry.

“Our responsibility at NIHOTOUR is therefore not simply to train people. It is to help build the skilled workforce, professional culture and institutional capacity required to make tourism a serious contributor to the Nigerian economy,” Fagade noted.

He identified professional training, curriculum development, tourism research, digital transformation, rural and cultural tourism and destination management as areas where NIHOTOUR could work more closely with Chinese institutions.

Fagade, however, cautioned that Nigeria should adapt rather than replicate China’s approach.

“China’s experience should not be copied mechanically,” he said, stressing the need to develop a tourism model suited to Nigeria’s realities.

The Director-General of the NTDA, Dr Olayiwola Awakan, also called for stronger Nigeria-China cooperation in tourism.

Represented by the agency’s Director of Human Resources Management, Adekunle Oladipo, the DG said China’s emergence as a leading tourism destination offered valuable lessons for Nigeria in strategic planning, infrastructure development, investment, destination branding, digital innovation and human capital development.

He stated that  Nigeria could adapt those lessons to its own cultural, natural and socio-economic environment.

“We therefore see this seminar not merely as an opportunity to share experiences, but as a platform to identify practical areas for enhanced cooperation,” Awakan said..

He also reaffirmed the NTDA’s commitment to working with NIHOTOUR and other tourism stakeholders to position Nigeria as a more competitive, attractive and sustainable destination.