The Chairman, Governing Board of Directors of the Hospitality and Tourism Sector Skills Council of Nigeria (HISSCN), Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, has said that revenue generation and employment are among the key factors that can drive the vibrancy of the tourism sector in the country.
He said this on Thursday in Abuja during the inauguration of the governing board of the hospitality and tourism sector of Nigeria.
According to him, the hospitality and tourism sector is one of the most versatile and fiercely competitive industries in the world and should be harnessed in Nigeria.
Odusanwo, who is also the National President of the Institute for Tourism Professionals of Nigeria (ITPN), said for tourism to be competitive and relevant in the country, revenue and employment generation and skill potency of the sector, are among the important factors that must be prioritised.
He said, “Besides as global regional and domestic tourism markets grow in size and sophistication, the industry must live up to the expectations of its customers, investors and the host communities.
“The increase in demands regarding benefits product quality and standards of service delivery in doubt skilled workforce ranging from proprietors and managers to be frontline operatives of the sector.”
Also, the Chairman of the council, Board of Trustees (BoT), Alhaji Tijani Aliyu Danzabuwa, said that he was relief when he was briefed of the philosophy of the framework and the council.
According to him, this was given his experiences of the widespread of unrecognised skilled labour without recognised national qualifications as found in automobile, building, construction, manufacturing, power amongst others.
He said, “The design and launch of this framework will also give hope to the workers
who cannot attend educational and training institutions to achieve qualifications within the confines of their workplace environment. Same for school drop outs, the vulnerable, women empowerment and prospective career seekers.”
Speaking earlier, the Director General National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa, noted that since the Sector Skills Council started operation in 2014, it has been working hard to fulfil its mandate.
“For example, the inauguration of the Council General Assembly was done in 2015. Additionally, the development and validation of over 60 National occupational Standards (NOS) in the hospitality, travel, leisure and tourism trade standards at Levels 1, 2 and 3 have been completed.
“We are also glad to inform that these designed programmes are the modular units currently being used in the implementation of the on-going Federal Government’s N-Power Build in Hospitality trade,” Kangiwa said.
