Nigeria and China have agreed to deepen cooperation in tourism development, with stakeholders stressing the need for Nigeria to draw lessons from China’s experience while developing a tourism model suited to its own cultural, economic and social realities.
This was stated on Tuesday in Abuja at a seminar on “China’s Tourism Development Experience”, organised by the Chinese Embassy in collaboration with the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority.
The seminar, which brought together government officials, tourism experts and industry stakeholders, focused on leveraging China’s experience in tourism planning, infrastructure development, human capital, digital innovation, destination management and cultural preservation to strengthen Nigeria’s tourism sector.
In his goodwill message, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the NIHOTOUR, Dr Abisoye Fagade, said Nigeria possessed significant tourism assets but needed stronger systems to convert them into sustainable economic value.
Fagade said his recent participation in a tourism development programme in Beijing had enabled him to see how China deliberately deployed tourism as an instrument of economic development, cultural preservation, rural revitalisation, skills development and community prosperity.
He said, “The experience reinforced a conviction I have long held: Nigeria does not lack tourism assets. What we must strengthen is the system that converts those assets into sustainable economic value.”
According to him, the implementation of the NIHOTOUR Act would provide an institutional foundation for strengthening professionalism, skills development and standards in Nigeria’s hospitality and tourism industry.
Fagade said Nigeria could benefit from closer cooperation with Chinese tourism institutions, particularly the China Association of Travel Services and the China Tourism Academy, in areas including professional training, curriculum development, tourism research, digital transformation, rural and cultural tourism, destination management and knowledge exchange.
He, however, cautioned against copying China’s model wholesale, stressing that, “China’s experience should not be copied mechanically. We should learn from what China has done, adapt the lessons to Nigeria’s realities, and build a uniquely Nigerian tourism model.”
The NIHOTOUR boss said the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and China should be leveraged to translate cooperation into practical benefits through skills development, investment, job creation, stronger institutions and sustainable tourism.
He said Nigeria had the culture, people and destinations needed to develop a vibrant tourism industry but required greater capacity, coordination and commitment to turn those resources into prosperity.
The Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Yang Jianxing, in his remarks, said tourism served as an important bridge connecting people, nations and civilisations, adding that both China and Nigeria had long histories, diverse cultures and abundant tourism resources.
He noted that cooperation between the two countries had expanded over the years in areas including culture, education and tourism, stressing that tourism education, hotel management, talent development and destination promotion had also witnessed exchanges.
The Chinese diplomat said China had accumulated considerable experience in public tourism services, destination development, the integration of culture and tourism, smart tourism, market promotion and talent cultivation, adding that the engagement between the two nations should not be a one-way transfer of knowledge.
“We also sincerely hope that today’s event will not be merely a one-way presentation of “Chinese experience,” but rather a genuine two-way exchange.
“While China has experiences that Nigeria can draw upon, Nigeria likewise possesses many strengths from which China can learn,” he said.
He called for stronger cooperation between the two countries in tourism talent development, vocational tourism education, hotel management, eco-tourism, cultural heritage preservation, tourism digitalisation, destination marketing and business partnerships.
Representing the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, Dr Olayiwola Awakan, the Director of Human Resources Management, said China’s emergence as one of the world’s leading tourism destinations offered valuable lessons for Nigeria, particularly in strategic tourism planning, infrastructure development, investment, destination branding, digital innovation, human capital development and public-private collaboration.
“As Nigeria seeks to unlock the full potential of tourism as a driver of economic diversification, cultural diplomacy and sustainable development, there is much we can learn from China’s experience while adapting relevant approaches to our own unique cultural, natural and socio-economic context,” he said.
He highlighted the need to identify practical areas for enhanced cooperation, including tourism investment, capacity building, destination development, cultural exchanges, research, innovation and increased tourist flows between Nigeria and China.
The NTDA boss also reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to working with sister agencies and tourism stakeholders to position Nigeria as a competitive and sustainable tourism destination.
He said, “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.”
