Stakeholders in the tourism sector have called on the Federal Government to establish  a tourism development fund to enable investors to obtain soft loans for tourism projects.

This is contained in a communique signed by the Assistant Director, Press, Mr Olumide  Osanyinpeju, Federal Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, and issued  in Abuja.

The communique was issued at the end of a sensitisation workshop on sustainable tourism policy, strategy and hospitality development.  “Government’s intervention is key to the development and promotion of tourism, the establishment of the Tourism Development Fund will allow investors to obtain soft loans for tourism project”.

“Considering the need for stronger Public–Private Partnership in the development and promotion of tourism, the meeting urged government agencies to empower private stakeholders to organise tourism events in their areas of competence,’’  it stated.

The communique called on stakeholders to prepare sound financial feasibility with a view to attracting funds to the sector. It stated that the state governments should give priority to the promotion of the rich cultural heritage of their people.

“Considering the significance of tourism to the actualisation of Nigeria’s MDGs, the workshop urged governments to put in place policies that would encourage investments and job creation through the provision of infrastructure.” It stated the need for the Federal Government to integrate tourism into the national development plan because of its significant contributions to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).