By Sarafina Christopher
Dr Abisoye Fagade, Director General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) says Nigeria will draw lessons from China’s tourism development strategy and adopt them to drive economic growth.
He added that doing so would also create jobs and strengthen the country’s tourism sector.
Fagade made this known on Tuesday in Abuja at a seminar on China’s Tourism Development Experience seminar, which was co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, NIHOTOUR and the NTDA.
According to him, the seminar is important as the Federal Government continues to pursue economic diversification, job creation, human capital development and investment under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“The initiative will focus on skills development, destination management, digital transformation, investment and cultural tourism,” he said.
Fagade said his recent participation in a tourism development programme in Beijing gave him firsthand insight into how China had leveraged tourism to promote economic development, cultural preservation, rural revitalisation and community prosperity.
“China’s experience demonstrates that tourism, when properly planned and professionally managed, can become a powerful instrument for economic transformation.
“Nigeria has the tourism assets. Nigeria has the people.
“Nigeria has the destinations. What we now need is the capacity, coordination and commitment to turn these assets into prosperity,” he said.
Fagade also stressed that Nigeria should learn from China’s experience without attempting to replicate its model mechanically.
“We must not copy China mechanically. We must learn from what has worked, understand the principles behind it, and adapt those lessons to our own realities to build a uniquely Nigerian tourism model,” he said.
Fagade also reaffirmed NIHOTOUR commitment to strengthen collaboration with Chinese institutions, particularly the China Academy of Culture and Tourism Administration (CACTA) and China Tourism Academy.
“We believe that professional training, curriculum development, tourism research, digital transformation, rural and cultural tourism, destination management and knowledge exchange are areas where both countries could collaborate,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Olayiwola Awakan, Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) said China’s transformation of its tourism sector offers important lessons for Nigeria.
Awakan, represented by the Director, Human Resources Management, said China had demonstrated how strategic planning, infrastructure development, investment, destination branding, digital innovation, human capital development and public-private collaboration could transform tourism.
“While we cannot copy China’s model wholesale, we can certainly learn from its experience and adapt relevant lessons to our own cultural, economic and social context.
“We are interested in practical cooperation with China in tourism investment, capacity building, destination development, cultural exchanges, research, innovation and increasing tourist flows,” he said.
Awakan also noted that NTDA remained committed to partnerships that would make Nigeria a more competitive, attractive and sustainable tourism destination.
He expressed optimism that the seminar would lead to stronger cooperation between Nigerian and Chinese tourism institutions.
Earlier in his remarks, Mr Yang Jianxing Director of the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, said tourism could serve as a bridge connecting people, nations and civilisations.
Yang said China and Nigeria had long histories, diverse cultures and abundant tourism resources, adding that 2026 marked the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between both countries as well as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.
He said China had accumulated valuable experience in public tourism services, destination development, integration of culture and tourism, smart tourism, market promotion and talent cultivation.
“We hope that through this seminar, both sides can have two-way exchanges and mutual learning, rather than simply talking about the ‘Chinese experience’,” Yang said.
He said China was ready to explore cooperation with Nigeria in tourism talent development, vocational tourism education, hotel management, eco-tourism, cultural heritage preservation, tourism digitalisation, destination marketing and business partnerships.
Yang noted that the seminar’s hybrid format reflected the role of digital technology in modern tourism and could help broaden participation among institutions, research bodies, enterprises and young professionals.
“Tourism creates jobs and promotes economic growth, but more importantly, it enhances people-to-people understanding and friendship,” he said.
The seminar was co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, NIHOTOUR and the NTDA.
NAN reports that the event was attended by Dai Bin, President of the China Tourism Academy and Director of the Data Centre of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism.(NAN)
Edited by Mark Longyen