Prof. Bola Adeleke, of Redeemer’s University, Ede, in Osun, says tourism can be used as a catalyst to boost the country’s economy and move it away from oil dependency.
Adeleke, a professor of Sustainable Tourism Management, made the remarks while delivering the 19th inaugural lecture of the university on Thursday in Ede.
The has as its theme “Sustainable Tourism: An Impetus for National Development”.
Adeleke said that sustainable tourism, which encompasses people, planet, and profit, could be used as a catalyst for national development and bring about economic, social, and environmental developments.
“Economically, it generates significant revenue, creates jobs, and stimulates local economies, contributing to national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and reducing poverty.
“It can diversify Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy, create jobs, and stimulate local businesses.
“Socially, it would preserve our cultural heritage, foster intercultural understanding, and enhance community well-being.
Environmentally, it can protect biodiversity and mitigate climate impacts through ecotourism initiatives in our national parks and protected areas,” she said.
According to Adeleke, globally, tourism contributes 10 percent to GDP and one in ten jobs.
Referencing the World Tourism Organisation’s 2021 report, Adeleke said that in 2019, tourism generated $1.7 trillion in export earnings.
She said that the tourism sector accounted for 3.6 percent of the country’s 2022 GDP of $17 billion and also created employment for about two million people.
Adeleke admonished the government to tap into and harness the great potentials in tourism to boost revenue and foreign exchange earnings.
However, she said that the government needed to deal with the issues of insecurity and upgrade the tourist sites in the country to attract foreign tourists.
Earlier in his remarks, Prof. Shadrach Akindele, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, said that tourism was one of the areas where the country had great potential.
Akindele said that tourism could boost the country’s foreign reserve and attract a lot of foreign exchange and that with many tourist sites in the country, Nigeria is sitting on a goldmine.
