Teachers in secondary schools have been urged to take up career in tourism, as a multidimensional industry and multidisciplinary subject.
The Director-General, National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, made the call on Tuesday in a statement by the agency Director, Media and Public Relations, Mr Ahmed Sule.
Kangiwa made the call at the opening of the second phase of ‘Train the Trainer’ programme, held in Abuja.
The programme was organised by the Institute for secondary school teachers in Federal Capital Territory.
Kangiwa said that tourism as a multifaceted skill enterprise, offered lots of opportunities for those willing to delve into it, as either entrepreneurs or career teachers and trainers in tourism subjects.
NIHOTOUR boss noted that the tourism subsectors offer such entrepreneurial skills and business opportunities as Tour Guiding, Tour Operations.
Others are Travel Agency Operations, Cabin Crew, Gardens Operations, Events Management, Recreational Management Centres, Hospitality Management, Pastry and Cookery, among others.
According to him, one could also take up teaching career in these tourism subsectors; in both secondary and tertiary institutions as instructors and lecturers.
He called on the participants to see themselves as highly privileged to have been chosen for the training within the FCT .
Kangiwa also urged them to make judicious use of the knowledge and skills they would acquire to impact positively, in improving the lots of the Nigerian Travel Tourism and Hospitality industry.
Also Speaking, Mr Edwin Enenta, Head of Department of the Travel Tourism Department of the Institute, called on the trainees to remain focused and resilient in their chosen career as teachers of tourism subject in the schools.
He said that this would enable them to adequately nurture a generation of tourism enthusiasts and professional practitioners for the Nigerian tourism industry.
“It would be recalled that the first phase of ‘Train the Trainer’ programme by the Institute, began in September 2020 in its quest to advance the frontiers of tourism training and education in the country.
“It initiated the teaching of tourism to teachers teaching tourism in secondary schools in order to support and enhance their skills and competency.
“This initiative is further justified by the inclusion of tourism into the secondary school curriculum and as a WAEC examination subject,” he said