NTT Global Destinations, NGD has emerged as a frontrunner in promoting Nigerian culture, fostering global connections, and facilitating unforgettable experiences for tourists and travellers worldwide. As part of its dedication to providing exceptional services across various sectors, the company is set to fill the knowledge gap in the industry by providing stakeholders with the required training.

In this chat with Jimoh Babatunde, the CEO and Founder, Ms. Elizabeth Agboola, talks on the impact of the training on the Nigerian tourism sector and the future of tourism in Nigeria among other issues.

Here is an excerpt

On the skills gap in Nigeria’s tourism

The Nigerian tourism industry is full of potential, but one of the most significant challenges we’re facing is a shortage of the right skills. Many of our tourism businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, were started by people who joined the industry by chance or through an opportunity, rather than through formal education or work experience in tourism.

While this entrepreneurial spirit has brought growth, it has also led to a knowledge gap when it comes to running and scaling these businesses effectively.

In practice, the gap becomes apparent when these businesses try to hire skilled professionals to support their growth.

The right people, whether it’s marketing managers, event planners, or product developers, are often hard to find.

This lack of specialized talent makes it difficult for these businesses to fully capitalize on the opportunities available in tourism. Without the right hands, it becomes challenging to innovate, build partnerships, or compete on the global stage.

On NTT Global Destination’s role in filling the skill gap

At NTT Global Destination, we recognised this problem and decided to take action. Earlier this year, we launched the Tourism Business UniversiTEA, a program specifically designed for tourism organisations seeking to develop their businesses, as well as non-tourism businesses looking to transition into the industry.

As part of this initiative, we trained the tourism and creative business unit at Sterling Bank, helping them advance their strategies within the sector.

This training is also available online as advanced and intermediate courses. We hope to provide tourism capacity-building for more banks, telecommunications, insurance companies and other service organisations on how they can harness the tourism business through their current services.

Now, we’re taking this a step further with a free employability training program aimed at equipping individuals with the right skills to fill critical roles in the tourism industry.

Our goal is to help businesses find the talent they need while driving the economic impact of tourism in Nigeria and positioning the industry for global growth.

We’re targeting a range of essential roles that are crucial to the success of any tourism business. These include Partnership Managers, Travel Content Creators, Tourism Product Managers, Community Managers, Tourism Events Managers, and Tourism Trade Liaison Managers among others.

On the importance of these courses to the tourism industry

Each of these roles plays a vital part in building a successful tourism ecosystem. Partnership Managers, for example, create collaborations that can attract international tourists. Travel Content Creators help appealingly showcase destinations. Community Managers and Product Managers work to enhance the visitor experience.

These roles ensure that businesses aren’t just reactive but are also proactive in shaping the future of Nigeria’s tourism. Without skilled professionals in these areas, businesses risk stagnating, especially in a competitive global environment.

On the impact of the training on the Nigerian tourism sector

We believe this training will have a significant impact. For one, it will allow tourism businesses to hire the right talent, which will help them grow sustainably.

A more skilled workforce will lead to better services, more innovative products, and stronger global positioning.

In the long run, this will not only contribute to the economic impact of tourism in Nigeria but also help elevate our standing on the international tourism map.

On the impact of hiring individuals who have undergone training

Businesses will benefit from a new wave of skilled professionals who are prepared to take on the challenges of today’s tourism landscape.

They’ll have team members who understand how to market destinations, manage partnerships, and organise world-class events. This, in turn, will help businesses attract more visitors, foster international collaborations, and ultimately, grow their revenue streams. With the right people in place, Nigerian tourism will be in a much stronger position to thrive.

On the future of tourism in Nigeria

The future is bright if we can address this skills gap. The Nigerian tourism industry has so much potential, and with the right talent, we can create lasting economic impact both locally and globally.

NTT Global Destination is excited to be part of this journey, and we’re confident that with this employability training, we’ll see our tourism businesses grow stronger, more competitive, and ready to meet the demands of the global tourism industry