By Laide Akinboade
Stakeholders  in the tourism industry have been urged to support the efforts of the  Federal Government in the  development of the sector  in the country.

The  Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation,  Otunba Olusegun Runsewe made this plea  at the just ended  35th  Annual General Meeting  of the National Association of Nigeria Travel  Agencies (NANTA).

Otunba Runsewe, who was represented by the  Director of Hospitality & Travel Trade, Mallam Ibrahim Zuru,  said  the Corporation should be supported in its bid   to reposition  the country by way of image laundering and re_branding efforts of   the  Federal Government.

In his words, “the Nigerian Tourism Development  Corporation as  the apex  regulatory body is conscious of its  statutory obligations and it is always  willing to engage the private  sector in its avowed commitment to make Nigeria  the enviable hub of  tourism activities in the entire African continent and have    identified  NANTA as a key partner  in the realization of this noble objective.”

The  NTDC boss stressed that the Corporation has been participating in a  number   of international fairs and  exhibitions to showcase Nigeria’s  asset to  international audiences in countries like Spain, Germany,  Britain, Dubai  and  recently South Africa where a Nigerian Tourism  Village was put together for the   2010 FIFA World Cup competition.

He  further affirmed that the travel agencies have a major role to play in  the  ever increasing competitive world of the  travel market.  On  his part, the Governor of Kano state Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau extolled  the qualities of Kano as a  beehive of commercial activities and a  perfect  destination for investors due to its large population and  friendly business environment.

He implored the Federal Government  to include Kano in the provision   infrastructures to enable the  state to maintain  its apex status as the commercial and tourism hub in  Nigeria.