By Damilola Adeyera
Yang Jianxing, the Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria and the Director of the China Cultural Centre in Abuja, has acknowledged that there are many lessons the Chinese tourism sector can learn from its Nigerian counterpart.
The Chinese diplomat made this known this week in Abuja at a seminar organised by the Chinese Embassy in collaboration with the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority.
Speaking at the seminar, Yang said Nigeria and China have, in the past decades, strengthened their cooperation in areas like culture, education and tourism. He believes this mutual relationship can be strengthened in emerging areas like tourism digitisation and tourism talent development.
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The seminar, which was themed “China’s Tourism Development Experience”, saw in attendance government officials, tourism experts and industry stakeholders. In his opening remarks, Dr Abisoye Fagade, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), said the seminar focused on leveraging China’s experience in tourism planning, infrastructure development, human capital, digital innovation, destination management and cultural preservation to strengthen Nigeria’s tourism sector.
“China’s experience should not be copied mechanically. We should learn from what China has done, adapt the lessons to Nigeria’s realities, and build a uniquely Nigerian tourism model”, Fagade said.
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While acknowledging the remarks of the NIHOTOUR boss, Yang Jianxing, the Cultural Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria said that although China had much more experience in public tourism services, destination development, the integration of culture and tourism, smart tourism, market promotion and talent cultivation, Nigeria also had much wisdom to share.
“While China has experiences that Nigeria can draw upon, Nigeria likewise possesses many strengths from which China can learn,” he said.