• Friday, March 29, 2024
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Tourism: Flavour, Patoranking hopeful of improved revenue generation

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Two Nigerian musicians, Chinedu Okoli and Patrick Okorie on Thursday called for adequate harnessing of the potential of the tourism sector to boost the country’s revenue generation.

Okoli and Okorie, popularly known as Patoranking and Flavour respectively, made the call in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday.

“If you look around most African countries, they have started working on their hospitality business for revenue generation.  I think it is time for us to take a cue from that.

“Those countries can hardly organise a show without inviting Nigerian artistes – comedians and musicians – and the reception is always great. Before other African nations beat us to it, I think it’s time we beef up our tourism and entertainment industry,” Okoli told NAN.

On his part, Okorie called for an -up-to-date-directory of hotels and lodges in the  country in the interest of tourists.

He also urged improved security in hotels and other tourist sites.

“The security situation in the country is not as bad as portrayed, but a lot still needs to be done to create a better platform for our God-given resources that visitors need to see,” he said.

He pledged musicians’ support for national development through their profession.

Sally Mbanefo, Director-General, Nigerian Tourism Development Agency, had in November said that the tourism sector generated over $1.1 billion in 2015 from over six million visitors.

Mbanefo said in a seminar that in 2014, $853 million was generated from 4.8 million visitors, adding that the sector had massive growth potential.