The insecurity bedevilling north-west is said to be freezing out tourism activities, and ruling out the region as a tourist destinations.
The National President, Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria (HATMAN), Mr Samson Atturu disclosed this during the inauguration of the Northwest Executive Council of Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN).
According to him, kidnapping, banditry and other criminalities perpetrated have forced many tourists to change destination which resulted in massive lost of income generation in the region.
Mr Atturu added that the problem got to its height when the Kaduna- Abuja expressway that linked the zone to the FCT and a route to tourist became target of bandits and kidnappers.
This development he stressed is unhealthy for the growth and development of tourism.
He cited the case of an immigrant who was kidnapped and raped along Abuja expressway in 2019, as one of the many attrocities that sent off tourists from the zone.
In his own remarks, Vice President, North west, FTAN, Prince Ayodele Arokoyo said the creation of the council is one of the steps to revive tourism in the zone.
He said oil may not be lasting, but tourism can be the lasting solution to even Insecurity.
He explained tourism will now take a change by looking at various components of tourists action in yhe Region
Ayodele explained that FTAN will form a synergy with the government and other stakeholders to work on a roadmap to revatalize tourism in zone.
Responding, commissioner for Business, Innovation and Technology, Mr Idris Samaila Nyam said the theme: Security Challenges and its implication for tourism Development in North-west Zone’ couldn’t have come any better time than now because of the security challenges in the zone.
He said tourism developed the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) it is a sector that has not been very active but all that is about to change.
“We have enough tourism sites, were people are degrading the sites, they might be doing it delibrately, or doing it in error, or been naive, so there is a need for the govt to come out, even at national levels to bring out laws and regulations to protects these sites, they are valuable assets,” he noted.
