World Tourism Day: NIHOTOUR to build capacity of youths, women in Kebbi
The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), has concluded arrangement to engage women and youths in vocational skills acquisition to mark this year’s World Tourism Day.
Director General, NIHOTOUR, Alhaji Nura S. Kangiwa, who disclosed this Monday in a statement signed by his Director, Media and Public Relations, Ahmed M. Sule, said the gesture is in line with the year’s theme – Tourism for Inclusive Growth.
World Tourism Day is observed every September 27 by different countries across the world, particularly those that understand the imperative of the tourism sector to national development.
In Nigeria, however, Kebbi State has obtained the hosting right for this year’s edition and indications are that NIHOTOUR is one of the federal government parastatals championing the celebration.
According to Kangiwa, “NIHOTOUR is poised to make the celebration a grand cultural event that will impact positively on the socio-economic lives of the people of the state.
“All events slated for the annual program are meant to highlight Nigeria’s rich cultural and sport tourism endowments.
Recall that the scheduled skills acquisition is in continuation of NIHOTOUR’S vocational capacity building programme for women and youths across the six geo-political zones of the country.
“We have concluded arrangements to impact knowledge-based tour guiding skills for youths and women in Kebbi State as part of the activities lined up to mark the 2021 World Tourism Day celebration.
The D.G said: “Training of the youths of the state in tour guiding will empower them to partake in the promotional activities of tourism in the state, thus providing them with skills for gainful self-employment.”
Speaking on the choice of Kebbi State for this year’s celebration, the DG held that Argungu Emirate is known as the flagship of Nigeria’s cultural and sport destination because of its prestigious International Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival.
The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) had attributed the choice of the year’s theme to the need to focus attention on people-centered tourism engagements and to ensure that in celebrating the day, no person is left behind as the world gradually opens up for robust tourism activities.
Meanwhile, the Travel and Tourism Department of NIHOTOUR has informed that the tour guiding exercise tagged, Tour Guiding Operations for Women and Youths in Kebbi State holds between September 25 and 28.
“We will put participants through the rudiments of tour guiding in view of the large number of tourists that troop into the tourism endowed state for the various sports and socio-cultural events annually”, the department assured.
