Lai Muhammed has said that tourism can be used for rural development.
News Rain gathered that the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said Nigeria will leverage on tourism towards development to the rural areas.
Nigeria Tourism Towards Rural Development – Lai Muhammed
Lai Mohammed in a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday to mark the 2020 World Tourism Day, with the theme: ”Tourism and Rural Development”.said that tourism is a vital sector that can be used for the development of the grassroots.
According to a statement which was signed by Mr. Segun Adeyemi, who is the Special Assistant To The President (Media) Office of the Minister of Information and Culture, said tourism has the unique ability to drive economic development and provide opportunities outside of big cities, including in those communities that would otherwise be left behind.
He said the theme, in the words of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), celebrates the unique ability of tourism to drive economic development.
Lai Muhammed according to the stated said that the occasion of the 2020 World Tourism Day presents the opportunity for stakeholders to reflect on the impact of the Covid-19 global pandemic, which has hit the sector hard and also stepped down the national celebration of the day.
He said despite the negative impact of Covid-19 on the sector, it was a mark of its resilience that governments around the world still look
to the sector to drive recovery as a leading employer and economic pillar in cities and the rural communities.
”It is globally recognized that tourism empowers rural communities and provides employment mostly for women and youth. It plays an important role in diversifying the rural economy and its growth, thereby contributing to the sustainability of the population and the economy of the areas.
”Tourism plays an important role in preserving and promoting culture and heritage all around the world. This is why we are leveraging on the sector to take development to the grassroots by ensuring that local communities own and benefit from the cultural heritage and the tourist attractions in their domain,” Alhaji Mohammed said.
He said the plan by the Federal Government to establish community museums is part of efforts to ensure that local communities benefit from tourism, thus ensuring that the sector contributes to rural development.
