China, Nigeria Strengthen Ties Through Tourism To Drive Shared Development, Job Creation.

By Ferdinand Olise

China and Nigeria have highlighted how important people-to-people exchanges, tourism cooperation and culture, are to shared development.

Speaking in Abuja at the Seminar on “China’s Tourism Development Experience” on Tuesday, organised by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nigeria, and China Cultural Centre in Nigeria, in collaboration with the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, NIHOTOUR, and NTDA, the Cultural Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, and Director of China Cultural Center in Nigeria, Mr Yang Jiangxing, said both China and Nigeria are nations with long histories, diverse cultures, and abundant tourism resources.

Mr Jiangxing underscored tourism as a vital bridge connecting people, nations, and civilizations.

According to him, the Heads of States of both countries attach great importance to people-to-people exchanges and tourism cooperation, noting that in recent years, China and Nigeria have engaged in active exchanges regarding tourism education, hotel management, talent development, and destination promotion.

“This seminar represents a beneficial initiative to foster mutual learning and shared development within the tourism industries of both countries. While China has experiences that Nigeria can draw upon, Nigeria likewise possesses many strengths from which China can learn. We look forward to both sides strengthening exchanges and deepening cooperation in areas such as tourism talent development, vocational tourism education, hotel management, eco-tourism, cultural heritage preservation, tourism digitalization, destination marketing, and business partnerships, thereby transforming our respective strengths into a driving force for shared development”, he said.

According to him, tourism not only creates jobs and fosters economic growth, but also brings people from different countries closer together, enabling them to understand and appreciate one another.

“Through tourism exchanges, we can further enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of China and Nigeria, injecting new momentum into the building of an even closer friendly and cooperative relationship between our two nations”, he said.

The Director General and Chief Executive Officer, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, NIHOTOUR, Dr. Abisoye Fagade, said the responsibility at NIHOTOUR is not simply to train people, but to help build the skilled workforce, professional culture and institutional capacity required to make tourism a serious contributor to the Nigerian economy.

He noted that Nigeria does not lack tourism assets, but must strengthen the system that converts those assets into sustainable economic value.

Dr. Fagade said China has deliberately deployed tourism as an instrument of economic development, cultural preservation, rural revitalisation, skills development and community prosperity.

He therefore urged that China’s experience should not be copied mechanically, but that Nigeria should learn from what China has done, adapt the lessons to Nigeria’s realities, and build a uniquely Nigerian tourism model.

“During my recent engagement in Beijing, I saw considerable scope for deeper cooperation between NIHOTOUR and Chinese tourism institutions, particularly CACTA and the China Tourism Academy, in areas such as professional training, curriculum development, tourism research, digital transformation, rural and cultural tourism, destination management and knowledge exchange.

“Nigeria has the culture, 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.

Dr. Fagade further said that the implementation of the NIHOTOUR Act becomes particularly important as the Act provides an institutional foundation for strengthening professionalism, skills development and standards within Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism industry.

“Our growing relationship with China presents an important opportunity in this regard”, he added.

In his keynote speech, the President of the China Tourism Academy and Director of the Data Centre of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China, Dai Bin, said China National Tourism Administration has also introduced some international hotel management and companies, tour buses and tourist toilets built to enable their reception facilities to better meet the needs of involved tourism targets.

He added that they have spent years to build a more complete current system which is even better, noting that it took them about 10 years in establishing the relatively complete tourism reception system to better satisfy the demand of in-bound tourism market.

In his goodwill message, the Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, NTDA, Dr. Olayiwola Awakan, who was represented by the Director of Human Resources Management, NTDA. Mr. Oladipo Adekunle, said, as Nigeria seeks to unlock the full potential of tourism as a driver of economic diversification, cultural diplomacy and sustainable development, there is much Nigeria can learn from China’s experience while adapting relevant approaches to Nigeria’s unique cultural, natural and socio-economic context.

He said the seminar is not merely an opportunity to share experiences, but a platform to identify practical areas for enhanced cooperation, including tourism investment, capacity building, destination development, cultural exchanges, research, innovation and increased tourist flows between both countries.

“The Nigerian Tourism Development Authority remains committed to strengthening partnerships that will position Nigeria as a more competitive, attractive and sustainable tourism destination, while also creating opportunities for Nigerians to experience and appreciate the rich tourism offerings of China”, he said.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nigeria, as well as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Over the past 55 years, the friendship between both nations has deepened, and cooperation in fields such as culture, education, and tourism has grown increasingly close.