The Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) and the China Tourism Academy are working together to bring more Chinese tourists to Nigeria.
This agreement came out of a recent meeting between NTDA officials and the China Tourism Academy in Beijing. The NTDA shared this news in a statement on Saturday.
NTDA Director-General, Ola Awakan, urged for a structured China-Nigeria Tourism Market Development Programme. This programme aims to give better insights into the travel habits and preferences of Chinese tourists.
Mr Awakan believes this programme will help Nigeria create tourism products and marketing strategies that fit the Chinese market. It will also help Nigeria compete better in global tourism.
He also pushed for stronger technical support and training in tourism data, research, destination development, and setting standards.
Mr Awakan said that better collaboration would open doors for Chinese tourism investors, operators, and hospitality businesses to find projects ready for investment in Nigeria.
He reminded everyone of President Bola Tinubu’s promise to diversify Nigeria’s economy through tourism. He highlighted how important international partnerships are to reach this goal.
Dai Bin, the President of the China Tourism Academy, praised Mr Awakan’s efforts in Nigeria’s tourism sector. He called Nigeria a country rich in culture and history.
Mr Bin expressed the academy's willingness to form a strategic partnership with the NTDA. This partnership would support NTDA’s goals and boost tourism exchanges between Nigeria and China.
He pointed out that Nigeria needs to improve its image and visibility among Chinese tourists and tourism operators. This is important for them to understand Nigeria better.
"Nigeria’s image needs to be promoted in the minds of the Chinese people for our operators and tourists to understand your country better," he stated.
Mr Bin also suggested more exchange programmes in education, training, and business to enhance ties between the two nations.
The China Tourism Academy is also eager to work with the NTDA to set up a Nigerian International Tourism Promotion Centre in China.
This proposed centre will help showcase Nigerian destinations and tourism products. It aims to increase understanding of the Chinese market and attract more Chinese tourists to Nigeria.
Yang Jinsong, director of the Department of International Exchange and Finance at the China Tourism Academy, and other senior officials attended the meeting.
This meeting was part of Mr Awakan’s working visit to China. He also took part in a seminar on Climate Action and Sustainable Development Goals for Developing Countries.
The seminar is organized by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce to share insights on China’s development strategies.
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