Minister of State, Aviation
Aviation agencies in Nigeria have indicated their interests to be among the over 800 national and international cross-sectoral participants at the maiden edition of the Tourism Transport Summit/ Exposition scheduled to hold at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja from May 21 and 22, 2018.
The Summit and Expo which is the first of its kind organised to form a synergy and explore the potential in mutual link to create environment for inclusive growth and sustainable development between the ministries of Transportation and Tourism, is anchored by the Institute of Tourism Professionals (ITP) in collaborations with Ministry of Transportation.
The Theme of the maiden edition of the event which would henceforth be held annually is: ‘Tourism and Transportation: The Key Sectors for Sustainable Resilient Growth and Development. It also has some of its Sub themes to include: Potentialities of Developing Regional Inter-Connectivity in Transportation and Inter-Modal Connectivity, Traveller Safety and Security; Licensing Regulations and Oversight–Meeting the International Standards for Sustainable Development of the Transportation and Tourism Industries; and Building Capacity for Global Best Practices in the Tourism and Transportation Sectors,
The aviation agencies which the organizers said have indicated their participation are: Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (Nimet).
ITP said adequate preparations have being put in place to ensure a successful hosting of the Summit, the first edition in a series to be organized annually.
Speaking on their participating in the summit, the organisers said the agencies have key roles to play in creating conditions for the development of economic and efficient air transport and the services which is centre to tourism development in the country.
“The Federal Airport Authority sees its participation at the Summit and Expo as a platform that offers it a unique opportunity to interact with policy makers, entrepreneurs, key players in both the tourism and transport sectors of the economy 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,” said ITP.
The Tourism Transport Summit/Exposition according to the organizers, is expected to 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 organizers who lauded the efforts of the Honourable Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika at repositioning the sector and strengthening air connectivity in Africa, said the event will bring together critical stakeholders in the such as the Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC), Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Nigerian Railway Cooperation (NRC), Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITI), Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the National Clearing and Forwarding Agency (NCFA) among others in the Nigerian transport sector.
To this end, the Ministers of Tourism and Transportation are expected, for the first time, to form a synergy and explore the benefits that abound from the mutual link to create the environment for inclusive growth and sustainable development.
ITP said other participants expected at the summit and Expo include those from Car Hire Services, Uber, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria ( RTEAN), Road Traffic and Safety Agencies, including the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and Insurance Companies among others.
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