The Vice President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), South-South Zone, Faith Esohe Essien, has said the inauguration of its new executive council scheduled to hold on November 17, 2025, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State will mark the official commencement of a focused, regional drive to transform and position tourism as a strategic solution to some of the region’s long-standing economic challenges.

Essien, in a statement, said the inauguration would mark the commencement of full pledged activities by the Federation in the zone, following the recent assumption of office of the Federation’s new national executive council headed by Dr Aliyu Badaki, as President.

“Our Inauguration will be held under the critical theme: ‘Green Horizons: Unlocking the South South’s Natural Wealth for Inclusive and Sustainable Prosperity’. This theme is not merely ceremonial; it represents a policy commitment to use tourism to drive economic diversification, advocate for responsible coastal conservation, and elevate our cultural assets as sustainable alternatives to resource dependency,” she noted.

The inauguration will attract members of the federation, stakeholders, government officials and the travelling public from across the South–South (Edo, Delta, Cross, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa states) and other parts of the country, with the National President of FTAN, Badaki, leading the national officers of FTAN and others to the inauguration ceremony.