Minister plans to make tourism major revenue earner

The new Minister of Tourism, Mrs Lola Ade-John, says she will work with government’s ministries, agencies and other relevant stakeholders to make tourism sector a major revenue earner.

Ade-John said this on Monday while assuming office at the National Press Centre, Radio House, Abuja.

Ade-John was received by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Culture, Dr Ngozi Onwudiwe, and its heads of agencies and departments.

The minister, who said that tourism was all about marketing and engagement with stakeholders, said that she would engage investors, governments, and grassroots people to improve the sector.

“There is a major emphasis on revenue generation and the Ministry of Tourism will go on tourism revenue drive.

“With everyone’s support, tourism is going to be the number one revenue earner in both foreign and local currencies,” she said.

In her remarks, Onwudiwe said the ministry was significant in achieving the revenue diversification drive of the President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

She sought for the support of the Ministries of Information and National Orientation, as well as Arts, Culture and Creative Economy for her to succeed.

“Before now, the sector has always been subsumed into other sectors such as Ministry of Information and Culture. This administration decided to diversify the economy.

“Tourism is no doubt an enabler of economic  growth. It generates income, employments and investment among the value chains,” she said.

Ade-John was received alongside Information and National Orientation Minister, Mohammed Idris; Arts, Culture and Creative Economy Minister, Hannatu Musawa, at the Information and National Orientation Ministry’s Radio House headquarters.