Tony Obiechina; Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Uriel
Palti; Director General , Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation
(NTDC) Chief . Dr. ( Mrs.) Sally Mbanefo ; Nigeria- Israel, Chamber of
Commerce (NICC) Ike Willie-Nwobu and Director, Marketing & Promotions,
NTDC, Mrs Fibi Ikilama in a group photograph during a courtesy call
on the Director General by His Excellency at the corporate headquarters
of the Corporation in Abuja recently.
NIGERIA'S tourism industry is poised to receiving a huge
boost as the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and the government
of Israel have agreed to work on the development and promotion of the industry.
This was following the courtesy call of the Ambassador
of Israel to Nigeria, Uriel Palti, on the Director-General of NTDC, Chief Dr.
(Mrs) Sally Mbanefo.
Palti during the courtesy call expressed his readiness
to facilitate collaboration between Israel and NTDC to develop tourism in
Nigeria.
The Ambassador of Israeli to Nigeria said: "It's my
pleasure to be Israel Ambassador to Nigerian. I enjoy the friendship of Mr.
President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, and fall in love with Nigeria. I won't be
shy to say this. I am totally at the disposal of NTDC to help develop tourism
in Nigeria.
"I must say that Nigeria has the highest pilgrims to
Israel, hence we cannot but to be at her disposal to render assistance and
develop her rich tourism potentials.
"To achieve this, I and my team will go together
with NTDC to visit beautiful tourist sites and destinations in Nigeria, and
also invite NTDC to visit Israel, meet with Israeli government and other
tourism stakeholders in the country, and sign a Memorandum of Understanding on
development and promotion of tourism in Nigeria.
"This arrangement will also enable Nigeria brings
more investors from Israel to Nigeria."
Palti also disclosed that he loved the idea of
exchanging programme and will facilitate exchange programmes on best practices
in tourism between NTDC staff and Israel's Tourism Board.
Dr Mbanefo earlier in her speech disclosed that NTDC was
working on how to be self accounting, "hence we have put some machineries
in place to achieve this. One of these is the MoU we signed with Jovago, which
enables tourists to book hotels in Nigerian from our website. With this, we
will generate revenue. While our Tour Abuja City project will be launched this
month."
The NTDC boss emphasised the machineries put in place by
President Goodluck Jonathan to encourage tourism growth in Nigeria, saying
"One of the most important things President Goodluck Jonathan has done is
improving the power sector. Another thing is the upgrading of airports in
Nigeria, which has been neglected for the past 52 years. He also did a lot with
transportation, ensuring a good rood and working earnestly on the railway,
among others.
"All these are lubricants to the wheel of tourism
development in Nigeria. The Jonatha-led administration meant so well for the
course of tourism development in Nigeria, hence all stakeholders must join this
progressive course."
Dr Mbanefo who described the rationale behind her
campaign for domestic tourism development and promotion as to create wealth and
job at the grassroot, enjoined Nigerians who stay within Nigeria, and
foreigners to appreciate the beautiful tourist sites that abound in Nigeria.
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