Happening Now: Singing of the National Anthem to commence the Commemoration of the 2022 World Tourism Day by @FMICNigeria in Calabar.
Theme: Rethinking Tourism
#TourismDay2022 #WorldTourismDay2022
#WTD2022
Theme: Rethinking Tourism
#TourismDay2022 #WorldTourismDay2022
#WTD2022
Former Minister of Culture and Tourism, High Chief Edem Duke giving his goodwill remarks at the 2022 World Tourism Day celebration in Calabar, Nigeria #WorldTourismDay2022 #WTD2022
Presentation of @UNWTO UNWTO Secretary General's @pololikashvili Official Message on the #WorldTourismDay2020 celebration by
DG, NTDC Chief Folorunsho Coker
DG, NTDC Chief Folorunsho Coker
Honorable Minister of Information & Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed delivering his Keynote Address for the #WorldTourismDay2022 Day Celebration by @FMICNigeria in Calabar.
#WTD2022 #TourismDay2022
#WTD2022 #TourismDay2022
A KEYNOTE ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND CULTURE, ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED, ON THE CELEBRATION OF THE 42ND
EDITION OF THE WORLD TOURISM DAY (WTD) ON 27TH SEPTEMBER, 2022 IN CALABAR, CROSS RIVER STATE
#Thread ⤵️
EDITION OF THE WORLD TOURISM DAY (WTD) ON 27TH SEPTEMBER, 2022 IN CALABAR, CROSS RIVER STATE
#Thread ⤵️
It is my honour and privilege to address you at this auspicious event on the celebration of the 42nd edition of the World Tourism Day (WTD) in this historic city, Calabar. Let me express my profound appreciation and gratitude to His
Excellency,
Excellency,
…the Executive Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, for hosting this event, which marks the official celebration of the 2022 World Tourism Day in Nigeria.
This is a further demonstration of his zeal and enthusiasm for the development of tourism in the state as a tool for job creation, revenue generation and poverty alleviation.
2. Cross River State had played host to some key federal tourism programmes which include the World Tourism Day in 1998, African Travel Association Annual Symposium in 2002 and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (@UNWTO) Commission for Africa (CAF) in 2012.
This therefore marks the fourth time Cross River State would be hosting such an important event.
3. Since 1980, the UN has been celebrating World Tourism Day on September 27. The World Tourism Day represents a unique opportunity for member states to shine the spotlight on the cultural, political, social and economic value of
tourism.
tourism.
The day, proclaimed by the United Nations, also aims to spread world- wide awareness regarding the contributions the tourism sector can make in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for building a better future.
4. World Tourism Day is observed yearly to foster global awareness of the social, cultural, political and economic value of tourism and the contributions of the sector towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The event is also considered as a powerful advocacy tool and an occasion to mobilize political will and resources, address global problems, celebrate and reinforce achievements at all levels and educate the public on issues of concern.
5. This celebration of the World Tourism Day, in a sector that is recognized as a fundamental pillar for development and progress, comes as the recovery
of the sector is well underway.
of the sector is well underway.
According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer,
international tourism got back to 60% of pre-pandemic levels between January and July 2022. It said international tourist arrivals almost tripled in January to July 2022 (+172%), compared to the same period of 2021.
international tourism got back to 60% of pre-pandemic levels between January and July 2022. It said international tourist arrivals almost tripled in January to July 2022 (+172%), compared to the same period of 2021.
This means the sector recovered almost 60% of pre-pandemic levels.
The steady recovery reflects strong pent-up demand for international travel as well as the easing or lifting of travel restrictions to date (86 countries had no COVID-19 related restrictions as of 19 September 2022), the barometer showed.
There is no better testimony to the fact that the recovery of the sector is well underway.
The theme, “Rethinking Tourism”, aims to inspire the debate around rethinking tourism for development, including through education and jobs, tourism’s impact on the planet and opportunities to grow more sustainably.
The event is also considered as a powerful advocacy tool and occasion to mobilize political will and resources, address global problems, celebrate and reinforce achievements at all levels and educate the public on issues of
concern.
concern.
This means putting people first and bringing everyone from governments and businesses to local communities together, around a shared vision, for a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient sector.
6. The international observance of the World Tourism Day is also being held today in Bali, Indonesia, by the UNWTO, in collaboration with the Government of Indonesia.
This partnership reflects the constructive international cooperation between UNWTO and its member states, which creates mutual benefit from the opinions and experiences of members in achieving the goals to promote the
tourism industry.
tourism industry.
7. Ladies and Gentlemen, tourism the world over is recognized as a key contributor to job creation, sustainable economic growth, environmental conservation and poverty alleviation.
It also acts as a catalyst for social equality and inclusivity as it provides women, youth and rural communities the means to support themselves. The sector therefore accelerates progress across the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
8. The Covid-19 pandemic and its unprecedented impact go beyond the health dimension, affecting political, cultural, social and economic aspects of our everyday
existence. The tourism sector globally suffered a near collapse, resulting in the loss of jobs.
existence. The tourism sector globally suffered a near collapse, resulting in the loss of jobs.
These trying times present a unique opportunity for individual and collective sustainable trajectory that prioritizes economic opportunity and
poverty alleviation.
poverty alleviation.
The pandemic highlighted the critical need to transform the tourism industry as the global travel and tourism sector slowly recovers - as emphasized by the theme of this year’s celebration.
I have no doubt that the time is right to begin this transformation and to rebuild the industry.
The good news is that given the resilience of the tourism industry and its ability to recovery quicker than other sectors, there is the need for more inclusive and sustainable recovery approaches to be adopted.
9. According to the official message of the UNWTO Secretary General on this year’s World Tourism Day celebration, ‘rethinking one of the world’s major economic sectors will not be easy. But we are already well on the way. Crisis has inspired and catalyzed creativity.
And the pandemic accelerated the transformation of work, bringing both challenges as well as enormous opportunities to ensure even more people get to benefit from tourism’s
restart.
restart.
We are also making significant progress in making tourism a central driver of the green, the blue and the digital economies, ensuring growth does not come at the
expense of people or planet’.
expense of people or planet’.
10. Ladies and Gentlemen, over the last two decades, the Tourism industry has become one of the most important engines for economic and sustainable growth in many countries.
Tourism development is no longer a choice or a luxury. It is a necessity for development, diversification of the national economy and the creation of jobs.
In addition, it is a tool for bridging the communication and cultural gaps and for disseminating the values of tolerance and openness.
11. From this perspective, the tourism industry receives great emphasis in our national vision and strategy, which recognizes the importance and capacity of the tourism sector to play a vital role in supporting the national economy.
Tourism enriches the economy from different sources, including:
i) Tourism expenditures, which benefit the host economy by reinvesting the income in several sectors.
i) Tourism expenditures, which benefit the host economy by reinvesting the income in several sectors.
ii) Contributing to government revenue through employment generation; from hotel managers to cleaners. Tourism creates 1 out of every 10 job globally
iii) Promoting and strengthening local cultural initiatives through events and festivals, such as the one being celebrated today. Most importantly, the heritage of a community is preserved, while the communities are empowered.
iv) Contributing to social services and meeting the needs of tourists, which often translates to the provision of good roads, sewage systems, etc. to the locality, and enhances quality of life.
12. The celebration is particularly important this year because of the right granted to Nigeria by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (@UNWTO) to host the first-ever UNWTO Global Conference on ‘Linking Tourism, Culture and the Creative Industries:
…Pathways to Recovery and Inclusive Development’.
The conference, which is scheduled to hold from 14th to 16th November 2022 at the National Theater Complex, Iganmu, Lagos, provides an opportunity to showcase
Nigeria tourism and creative assets.
Nigeria tourism and creative assets.
It also creates a viable platform to identify, develop and promote new models of stronger partnership between tourism, culture and the creative industries as highly interlinked sectors for inclusive economic growth and social development.
13. The Nigeria creative industries, which include films, music, visual arts, fashion, etc, have been nationally and globally recognized as key elements in the national economy,
…particularly in terms of employment generation and by extension, poverty reduction, which underscores some key aspects of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
14. However, there are some challenges in the areas of piracy and copyright, which have bedevilled the industry. Given the contributions of the creative industries to our national economy,
…its performance and survival will depend on our collective ability to tackle these challenges squarely.
15. Your Excellency, I would not conclude this address without acknowledging your efforts in making Cross River State and indeed Nigeria a preferred tourism destination in Africa.
Tourism has significantly transformed the state into a choice destination where most fun-seekers and visitors long to visit.
Your efforts in sustaining and improving the existing tourism assets in the state, particularly the
annual Calabar Christmas Carnival, which is recognized globally, is a great milestone in the history of tourism in Nigeria.
annual Calabar Christmas Carnival, which is recognized globally, is a great milestone in the history of tourism in Nigeria.
Beyond the typical tourism infrastructure,your effort at diversifying the economy of the state through the establishment of factories such as the garment factory, the Flour Mill,Cassava
Processing Plant and the Rice Mill, has created many jobs,especially for the youths and women.
Processing Plant and the Rice Mill, has created many jobs,especially for the youths and women.
I want to assure you of the Federal Government’s readiness to partner with the State, and indeed other states of the federation and the private sector, in the efforts to develop Nigerian tourism in order to attract foreign tourists and investors
16. Once again, I thank His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade, for hosting the 2022 edition of the World Tourism Day.
I also appreciate the commitment of the Hon. Commissioner for Tourism and Culture and his team for all the
work they have put into ensuring the success of this celebration.
work they have put into ensuring the success of this celebration.
To all the participants, I thank you for coming and I hope that this celebration will achieve the desired goals.
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