NTDA Boss, Coker Tells Gains As Nigeria Returns To Top Of World’s Tourism Body

Nigeria is back at the highest level of the world tourism after about a decade.

The nation has been elected to the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) at its 66th Commission for Africa Meeting held in Mauritius.

This is against the background that Nigeria has been awarded the vice president slot for the Commission for Africa (CAF).

The Director General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA ), Folorunsho Coker highlights the development as a strong hope for the rebound of the Nigerian Tourism Industry.

“With Nigeria’s recognition in the Commission for Africa/UNWTO as vice president and member of the Executive Council, we can deepen the impact of our domestic tourism assets and new mediums of cultural expression on our Nigerian GDP.

“We hope to support UNWTO Tourism Academy, tourism grants, tourism, technical support and tourism events,” Coker who holds the esteemed cultural title of Baba Eto of Yorubaland stated in an interview monitored by SocietyNow.Ng.

The Executive Council of the UNWTO’, that Nigeria is now a part of , is the governing board charged with the responsibility of ensuring the world tourism body carries out it duties and oversees budget.

The NTDA which Coker oversees is the more robust replacement for the famed NTDC (Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation) through the assent of the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority Act, 2022 by then President Muhammadu Buhari in February 2023,

The happening is the result of grounded and extensive campaign fronted by Coker for a more rewarding and collaborative framework for all stakeholders that would transform tourism into a major income earner for Nigeria.

And Nigeria’s new status at the United Nations World Tourism Organization speaks very much to this.

“The new development will offer Nigeria a great opportunity to present to the rest of the world all its culture and diversity and to welcome the global tourism community.” the Director General at NTDA pointed out added gains of the Nation’s election into the Executive Council of the UNWTO.

SocietyNow.Ng’s checks revealed that one of the objectives of the act setting up the NTDA is to encourage local and foreign investors to invest in tourism and improve standards in the tourism sector in line with best practices.

Appointment as the Director – General of the Nigerian National Tourism Corporation (NTDC) on November 3, 2017, Coker was re-appointed for a second term on Friday, April 30, 2021 based on exemplary performance that include providing groundwork that resulted in the emergence of NTDA and recent elevation of the nation’s tourism status on the global stage.