Nigeria seeks to adapt China’s tourism experience to local realities

Nigeria and China have agreed to strengthen their cooperation in the tourism sector, with officials emphasizing the need to adapt China's tourism model to Nigeria's unique cultural, economic and social environment. The Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, along with the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority, organized a seminar on "China's Tourism Development Experience" in Abuja.

The seminar aimed to explore ways to leverage China's expertise in tourism planning, infrastructure development, human capital, digital innovation, destination management and cultural preservation to boost Nigeria's tourism industry. Nigeria's Director-General and CEO of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, Dr Abisoye Fagade, highlighted the country's abundant tourism assets but stressed the need to strengthen the systems that convert these assets into sustainable economic value.

He emphasized that Nigeria should not mechanically copy China's model but rather learn from and adapt the lessons to its specific circumstances. The Chinese Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, Yang Jianxing, said that both nations have rich cultural histories and abundant tourism resources, and that cooperation between the two countries should be a two-way exchange.

He stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation in areas such as tourism talent development, vocational education, hotel management, eco-tourism, cultural heritage preservation, digital innovation, and business partnerships. Both officials emphasized the potential for increased tourist flows between Nigeria and China and the need to position Nigeria as a competitive and sustainable tourism destination.