Nigeria and China are seeking to deepen tourism cooperation around investment, skills development, digital innovation and destination management as Nigeria moves to unlock the sector’s potential to drive economic diversification and job creation.
The push came to the fore at a seminar on China’s Tourism Development Experience in Abuja on Tuesday, where officials from both countries said stronger institutional and industry partnerships could help Nigeria adapt lessons from China’s tourism transformation to its own economic, cultural and social realities.
Just as both countries identified opportunities in tourism education, talent development, hospitality management, eco-tourism, cultural heritage preservation, digitalisation, destination development and investment.
The seminar was in collaboration with the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) and the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA).
Yang Jianxing, Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, said tourism remained an important bridge connecting people, nations and civilisations, stressing that China and Nigeria had significant tourism potential because of their long histories, diverse cultures and abundant natural and cultural resources.
He said China’s landscapes, history and culture, alongside Nigeria’s natural attractions, vibrant ethnic cultures and hospitable population, provided substantial opportunities for both countries to expand their tourism industries.
‘This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Nigeria, as well as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges,’ Jianxing said.
According to him, bilateral relations have continued to deepen over the past 55 years, with cooperation expanding across sectors including culture, education and tourism.
He said the leadership of both countries had placed considerable importance on people-to-people exchanges and tourism cooperation, resulting in increased engagements in tourism education, hotel management, talent development and destination promotion.
Jianxing described the seminar as an important platform for both countries to learn from each other and promote shared development in the tourism sector.
He said China’s tourism industry had, over the years, accumulated considerable experience in public tourism services, destination development, the integration of culture and tourism, smart tourism, market promotion and talent development.
The Chinese diplomat said the participation of Dai Bin, president of the China Tourism Academy and director of the Data Centre of China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, would provide Nigerian stakeholders with practical insights into the development of the Chinese tourism industry.
He described the China Tourism Academy and the ministry’s Data Centre as key research and data institutions affiliated with China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, noting that they had undertaken extensive research into tourism development strategies, industrial economics, culture-tourism integration and tourism data analysis.
‘I believe that President Dai’s insights will provide a valuable reference for Nigeria’s tourism sector to better understand the practical development of China’s tourism industry,’ Jianxing said.
He, however, stressed that the seminar should not be regarded as a one-way transfer of knowledge from China to Nigeria, but as an opportunity for mutual learning and cooperation.
While Nigeria could draw lessons from China’s experience, he said China also had lessons to learn from Nigeria’s tourism sector and its unique strengths.
‘We also sincerely hope that today’s event will not be merely a one-way presentation of ‘Chinese experience,’ but rather a genuine two-way exchange,’ he said.
Jianxing called for greater collaboration between the two countries in tourism talent development, vocational tourism education, hotel management, eco-tourism, cultural heritage preservation, tourism digitalisation, destination marketing and business partnerships.
He said such cooperation could help both countries transform their respective strengths into drivers of shared tourism development.
The diplomat also highlighted the significance of the hybrid online and physical format of the seminar, describing it as a reflection of the changing nature of tourism exchanges in the digital era.
He urged Nigeria and China to use the seminar as a starting point for expanding participation in tourism cooperation to include more institutions, research bodies, businesses and young professionals.
According to him, participation would create new opportunities for knowledge sharing, innovation and partnerships across the tourism industries of both countries.
Jianxing further stressed the wider economic and social benefits of tourism, noting that the sector could create jobs and support economic growth while strengthening understanding among peoples of different countries.
‘Through tourism exchanges, we can further enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of China and Nigeria, injecting new momentum into the building of an even closer friendly and cooperative relationship between our two nations,’ he said.
Nurudeen Awakan, Director-General of the NTDA, who was represented by the agency’s Director of Human Resources Management, called for stronger tourism cooperation with China, particularly in investment, destination development, capacity building, digital innovation and cultural exchange, as Nigeria seeks to position tourism as a driver of economic diversification.
Awakan, in his goodwill message, said Nigeria could draw valuable lessons from China’s transformation into one of the world’s leading tourism destinations while adapting relevant aspects of the Chinese experience to the country’s cultural, natural and socio-economic realities.
He was unable to attend the seminar because he was on a working visit to China, where he was engaging institutions and tourism stakeholders on initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s tourism sector.
According to Awakan, his review of China’s tourism development experience and the opportunities for cooperation had so far been laudable.
Awakan commended the Chinese Embassy for convening the seminar, describing it as a timely and significant platform for knowledge sharing, dialogue and the deepening of tourism cooperation between Nigeria and China.
He said the occasion was particularly significant as the two countries mark 55 years of diplomatic relations, while also taking place within the framework of the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.
He said tourism and cultural interaction could play an important role in bringing the peoples of both countries closer together.
‘China’s remarkable transformation into one of the world’s leading tourism destinations offers valuable lessons for Nigeria,’ Awakan said.
He identified strategic tourism planning, infrastructure development, investment, destination branding, digital innovation, human capital development and strong public-private sector collaboration as key areas from which Nigeria could draw lessons.
The NTDA boss said these lessons were particularly relevant as Nigeria seeks to unlock tourism’s potential to contribute to economic diversification, cultural diplomacy and sustainable development.
He, however, stressed that Nigeria must adapt China’s experience to its own circumstances rather than replicate the model wholesale.
‘As Nigeria seeks to unlock the full potential of tourism as a driver of economic diversification, cultural diplomacy and sustainable development, there is much we can learn from China’s experience while adapting relevant approaches to our own unique cultural, natural and socio-economic context,’ he said.
Awakan said the seminar should go beyond the sharing of experiences and focus on practical areas for increased cooperation, including tourism investment, capacity building, destination development, cultural exchanges, research, innovation and increased tourist flows between the two countries.
He also stressed the importance of cooperation among Nigerian tourism institutions and industry stakeholders in building a more competitive tourism sector.
According to him, the NTDA’s cordial working relationship with sister agencies, including NIHOTOUR and the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), provides a platform for strengthening partnerships within the industry.
He said the NTDA remained committed to partnerships that would position Nigeria as a more competitive, attractive and sustainable tourism destination, while creating opportunities for Nigerians to experience and appreciate China’s tourism offerings.
Awakan expressed confidence that the discussions and exchanges at the seminar would contribute to a stronger and more mutually beneficial Nigeria-China tourism partnership.
Abisoye Fagade, director-general of NIHOTOUR, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NIHOTOUR, also called for deeper cooperation with Chinese tourism institutions to strengthen professional training, research, digital transformation and destination management in Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality sector.
He said the growing relationship between Nigeria and China presented an opportunity to build the capacity required to transform Nigeria’s tourism assets into sustainable economic value.
Fagade said the seminar came at a critical period for Nigeria as the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu pursues an economic direction focused on job creation, human capital development, enterprise, investment and economic diversification.
According to him, tourism has a critical role to play in achieving these objectives through its potential to generate employment, develop skills, preserve culture and create opportunities for communities.
He said her recent participation in a tourism development programme in Beijing enabled her to witness first-hand how China had deployed tourism as an instrument of economic development, cultural preservation, rural revitalisation, skills development and community prosperity.
The experience, he said, reinforced her conviction that Nigeria did not lack tourism assets but needed to strengthen the systems required to convert those assets into sustainable economic opportunities.
‘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.
He also highlighted the importance of the NIHOTOUR Act in developing Nigeria’s tourism and hospitality industry, saying the legislation provides an institutional foundation for strengthening professionalism, skills development and standards within the sector.
Fagade said NIHOTOUR’s responsibility went beyond training individuals, stressing that the institute must contribute to building the skilled workforce, professional culture and institutional capacity required to make tourism a significant contributor to the Nigerian economy.
‘Our responsibility at NIHOTOUR is therefore not simply to train people. It is to help build the skilled workforce, professional culture and institutional capacity required to make tourism a serious contributor to the Nigerian economy,’ she said.
He said there was considerable scope for stronger collaboration between NIHOTOUR and Chinese tourism institutions, particularly the China Association of Travel Services and Tourism (CACTA) and the China Tourism Academy.
He identified professional training, curriculum development, tourism research, digital transformation, rural and cultural tourism, destination management and knowledge exchange as areas where both countries could deepen cooperation.
According to him, such partnerships would enable Nigeria to draw lessons from China’s tourism development experience while ensuring that those lessons were adapted to the country’s economic, cultural and institutional realities.
He said the approach was consistent with the Renewed Hope Agenda, which requires Nigeria to identify what works, strengthen domestic capacity and translate opportunities into tangible benefits for citizens.
Fagade said the Abuja seminar was more than a conversation about China’s tourism development experience, describing it as an opportunity to deepen the friendship between Nigeria and China and translate that relationship into skills, investment, jobs, stronger institutions and sustainable tourism development.
He commended the Chinese Embassy in Nigeria, the China Cultural Centre, the NTDA and NIHOTOUR for convening the engagement.
Fagade expressed confidence that the seminar would open a new chapter in Nigeria-China tourism cooperation.
He said Nigeria had the culture, people and destinations required to build a thriving tourism industry, but needed greater capacity, coordination and commitment to turn those assets into prosperity.
‘Nigeria has the culture. Nigeria has the people. Nigeria has the destinations. What we now need is the capacity, coordination and commitment to turn these assets into prosperity,’ he said.
He wished participants fruitful deliberations and expressed hope that the discussions would contribute to stronger tourism development and cooperation between Nigeria and China.
Yang, meanwhile, expressed appreciation to the Nigerian institutions and other stakeholders involved in organising the seminar, saying their efforts would contribute to strengthening tourism exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.
He also expressed optimism that the engagement would lead to deeper collaboration and more tangible outcomes for the tourism industries of both nations.