…As Badaki charges council to unite tourism stakeholders, develop clear action plan
The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has inaugurated its South-East Zonal Executive Council with a clear mandate to move the region’s tourism sector from potential to measurable economic impact, targeting increased investment, job creation, visitor growth and revenue.
The inauguration, which was held in Enugu recently marks the beginning of a new action-oriented phase for FTAN South-East, with the Council committing to stronger regional collaboration, destination development, investment mobilisation, digital visibility and measurable results.
Speaking shortly after the inauguration, the Vice President, South-East Zone, Wilson Ugwu, said the new leadership would be defined by execution, accountability and outcomes.
“We intend to move beyond talking about potential to actually building a tourism economy around it,” he said.
Ugwu announced the Council’s commitment to developing a unified South -East Tourism Circuit linking Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Imo and Ebonyi, with stakeholder consultations and destination mapping to commence immediately and a first framework expected within six months.
He identified security and investor confidence, alongside infrastructure and policy gaps, as major barriers to tourism investment and pledged stronger engagement with governments, security agencies, communities, and the private sector.
Ugwu said stakeholders should judge the Council on three key outcomes: a functioning five-state tourism circuit, increased tourism investment and job creation; and a stronger South-East destination brand with measurable visitor growth.
“Stakeholders should judge us by what changed on the ground not by the number of meetings we held,” Ugwu said.
The Council reaffirmed its vision of one region, one voice, one tourism.
The Council will also pursue a unified digital tourism platform, a verified database of tourism assets and businesses, stronger online visibility, and professionally packaged five-state tourism experiences.
Also speaking, the FTAN President, Dr. Aliyu Badaki, charged the new Council to unite tourism stakeholders, develop a clear action plan, and engage governments and agencies collectively.
“Let us see it in action that South-East is number one,” Badaki declared.
He emphasised the importance of private-sector leadership in developing commercially viable tourism products, with the government providing the necessary enabling policy environment.
Delivering the keynote address, Chief Ben Etiaba, FCA, said the South-East’s challenge was not a lack of tourism assets but the failure to convert them into commercially viable experiences.
According to him, “The South-East does not have a tourism problem. We have a tourism conversion problem.”
Etiaba called for a regional approach built around five priorities: Connect, Package, Digitalise, Invest and Empower, stressing that tourism must ultimately convert attractions into experiences, experiences into businesses, and businesses into jobs and sustainable prosperity.
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