The arrangement is in top gear for the maiden edition of National Tourism Transport Summit and Exhibition scheduled to hold at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja from May 21 to 22, with the theme: Tourism and transportation, the key sectors for sustainable growth and development.
The summit, which is initiated by the Institute of Tourism Professionals (ITP), was in line with the 15th edition of National Council on Transportation meeting held in Sokoto in August 2017, where the need to have collaboration among the Federal Ministry of Transportation, other government and non-government agencies and the private stakeholders across the transportation modes, tourism and hospitality value chain for sustainable economic growth and development.
To this end, Nigeria ministers of tourism and transport are expected for the first time to form a synergy in exploring the benefits that are derived from this mutual link so as to create the environment for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
The event offers a unique opportunity for policy-makers, regulators, entrepreneurs, key players in both the tourism and transport sectors of the economy, investors and the general public to engage in an all-participatory discourse aimed at charting the desired synergy, collaboration and connective inter-play between the two sectors for maximum economic benefits of the country.
“It will also deliberate on the complex relationship between transport provision and tourism and will adopt global perspective in forging a mutual relationship between the two sectors. It will make regulatory and enforcement agencies, national, state and local government to reappraise and have a better understanding of the importance of tourism and transportation to local, state and national economies, and their impact on employment regeneration.
The sub-themes are Tourism and Transportation Interdependencies for mutual growth and sustainable development; Potentialities of developing regional inter-connectivity in transportation; Inter-modal connectivity, traveller safety and security; Licensing regulations and oversight, meeting the international standards for sustainable development of the Transportation and Tourism industries; Development of critical infrastructure and the ease of doing business in Nigeria, the case of tourism and transportation industries; as well as Building capacity for global best practices, among others.
However, participants at the two day event will be drawn from major key stakeholders in the transportation and tourism sectors such as air transportation, airlines, tour and travel operators, administrators of the aviation industry, maritime industry, sea transport, boats and sea cruising operators, road transportation major transport owners, car hire services, uber, NURTW, RTEAN, road traffic and safety agencies, including the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), motor insurance companies.
Others are operators of tourism and hospitality industry, including tourism resort operators, National Parks Services; museums and monuments, State tourism ministries and boards, festivals and tourism event managers; hoteliers, restaurants and fast food operators as well as service providers in the banking, oil and gas industries.
The Tourism Transport Summit and Expo 2018 will consist of sections such as tourism transport summit, tourism transport training, exhibition – B2B and G2B sessions, tourism transport ambassadors’ award and gala night.