Harnessing Youth Potentials Will Revamp China-Nigeria Tourism Relations-Envoy

Muhyideen Jimoh
Mar, Fri, 2024

Culture & Tourism , Foreign

Harnessing youth potentials will revamp China-Nigeria tourism relations-Envoy

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By Sarafina Christopher

Mr Li Xuda, Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy has spoken of the need to harness the capacity of youths to strengthen the tourism relations between China and Nigeria.

Li, who is also the Director of China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, made the call during a Tourism and Culture seminar on Thursday, in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the seminar, themed: “Youth: Future of China-Nigeria Tourism Exchanges”, was hosted by China Cultural Center in Nigeria and organised by Youth Tourism Development Organisation (YTDONigeria).

He explained that the tourism sector, described by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation as one of the world’s largest and fastest growing industries, plays a crucial role in national development.

According to him, China and Nigeria have their most important resources: beautiful nature, traditional culture and talented young people, which provide a solid foundation and strong impetus for our future tourism development.

“It is no exaggeration to say that tourism is a promising industry for the development of our two countries.

“In my eyes, young people are always energetic, diligent, ready to accept new things, and have the courage to innovate.

“So we can say young people represent vitality and the future, they are a really new force in promoting social development and international cooperation.

“There is no doubt that the young generation is the hope for future exchanges and cooperation between China and Nigeria in the field of tourism,”he said.

Li added that in 2018, China and Nigeria became partners in jointly building the “Belt and Road”, which made China-Nigeria cooperation even more in-depth and practical.

As active participants of the “Belt and Road” international cooperation, young people have gradually grown over the past years of China-Nigeria win-win cooperation,

“I firmly believe that our young generation will also play an important role in promoting tourism exchanges in the new stage of high-quality joint construction.

“Nowadays we always say “The relationship between two countries is based on the affection between two countries’ civilians”, tourism exchange can really make it possible.

“I think the essence of tourism exchange is people to people exchange, which serves as a bridge in promoting mutual understanding and mutual learning between countries,”Li said.

In his remarks, Comrade Okon Emmanuel, president of Youth Tourism Development Organisation charged young people to consciously get involved in tourism and cultural development.

“The youths are the future of tourism and every other sector that spearheads progress and continuity.

“Youth tourism is an important segment of the tourism industry.

“Just like mainstream tourism, it involves the use and the movement to other places other than the place or the residence of a person either for education, volunteer, work on travel cultural exchange sports, adventure and leisure.

“Tourism for young people is a way to learn, meet new people, make friends and explore new cultures.

Furthermore, Emmanuel noted that tourism is very key to culture heritage promotion and preservation as it involves the movement of people from one place to another to discover other people’s culture.

High Chief Mike Ugwu, Vice Chairman of Nigeria-China Business Council said that tourism exchanges play a vital role in strengthening and promoting friendship between countries as it will help people to understand the culture and ways of life of both countries.

NAN also reports that awards were given to Hajiya Fatima Radda, wife of the Governor of Katsina state and some key stakeholders in honour of their contributions toward promoting cultural and tourism relations between China and Nigeria. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

(Edited by Nkiru Ifeajuna/Emmanuel Yashim)

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