Nigeria seeks to adapt China’s tourism experience to local realities

Nigeria wants to learn from China’s tourism development without simply reproducing the Chinese model. That message shaped a seminar in Abuja organized by the Chinese Embassy with Nigeria’s National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority.

Government officials, tourism experts and industry representatives examined China’s experience in tourism planning, infrastructure, human-capital development, digital innovation, destination management and cultural preservation. The discussions focused on how those lessons could help Nigeria build an industry suited to its own cultural, economic and social realities.

Dr Abisoye Fagade, director-general and chief executive of NIHOTOUR, said Nigeria did not lack tourism attractions. It lacked the systems needed to turn those resources into lasting economic value. After taking part in a tourism development program in Beijing, he said he had seen how China used tourism to support economic development, preserve culture, revitalize rural areas, develop skills and strengthen communities.

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The experience reinforced a conviction I have long held: Nigeria does not lack tourism assets. What we must strengthen is the system that converts those assets into sustainable economic value.

“The experience reinforced a conviction I have long held: Nigeria does not lack tourism assets. What we must strengthen is the system that converts those assets into sustainable economic value,” Fagade said. He pointed to implementation of the NIHOTOUR Act as an institutional foundation for professional standards, training and stronger capacity in hospitality and tourism.

Fagade called for closer links with Chinese institutions including the China Association of Travel Services and the China Tourism Academy. Potential areas include professional training, curriculum development, tourism research, digital transformation, rural and cultural tourism, destination management and the exchange of expertise.

He also cautioned against importing China’s approach wholesale. “China’s experience should not be copied mechanically. We should learn from what China has done, adapt the lessons to Nigeria’s realities, and build a uniquely Nigerian tourism model,” he said. Nigeria, he added, has the culture, people and destinations for a vibrant tourism industry, but needs greater capacity, coordination and commitment.

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China’s experience should not be copied mechanically. We should learn from what China has done, adapt the lessons to Nigeria’s realities, and build a uniquely Nigerian tourism model.