Prince Tonye Princewill, a former governorship candidate in Rivers State has urged the Nigerian government to utilize the great potentials in the tourism sector to boost the dwindling national economy and create multi-dimensional job opportunities for the jobless teeming youths.
Princewill noted that despite the great potentials in that sector, government seems not ready for tourism anytime soon.
Speaking on how he has used his global connections to help reposition the country’s tourism sector for international attraction, Princewill said, “What I have done over the past few years is to educate myself on the benefits of tourism and how best I can explore them.
“Nigeria as a government has not been serious about tourism, be it at state or federal levels. There is a very little I can do in terms of that, but I have been able to identify not just attractions, but potentials of sources of tourism. I have also been able to identify individuals who could help us in tourism”.
Princewill further explained that, “where Nigeria has not taken advantage of it (his vast connections in global tourism), I can tell you that Ethiopia, Rwanda, Ghana, Angola have taken advantage of it. They are all using my services because they have seen what we are doing for Dubai.
“Recently, I was in Rwanda at the invitation of their government. They heard about the work we do in Dubai which the UAE people told them that there is an African that is helping us, and that was how they linked up with us”, he said.
The former chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said “this government has not taken advantage of what we are doing. But the Rwandan government, the Ghanaian government, the Ethiopian government and the Angolan government have all taken that advantage.
“We help them with their own tourism potentials and how to transform that sector for them. We have been doing this for others. If Nigeria wants us to help them, we will be more than happy to do so. For now, we can’t say there is anything that is happening either at state or federal levels, as far as the tourism sector is concerned”.
Princewill who is in Port Harcourt for burial preparations of his late father, King, Prof, TJT Princewill, Amachree the XI and Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom which is slated for November 28 to 30, 2023, said “tourism works in a very sensitive way. It starts from the first step into your country. If your first step in to a country is a friendly, happy, conducive step, it may want to encourage you to come back and also to preach the gospel to others.
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“Nigeria is not ready for tourism. If you were called to help Nigeria with tourism, you will have a big challenge trying to convince people to make a tourism destination out of Nigeria. This is because before the tourists will get to any beech, they have to pass through the airport, terminals and other varieties like hotels and others. If you are not well equipped to welcome people into your country, there is no point asking them to come”, he concluded.
