An Expert and Head of Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Management Department at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Dr.Pius Agbebi has declared that it would take Nigerian tertiary institutions another 10years to produce enough qualified graduates to effectively run various aspects of tourism sector for maximum economic benefits
Dr. Agbebi in an interview with Edu-Biznews'Career Guides crew in his office, ahead of the celebration of 45th World Tourism Day on Tuesday, 27th of September, 2022, says the sector is still facing a major challenges of inadequate qualified personnel and fund to fully tap huge economic potentials inherit in tourism sector in the country
" The sector is in dire need of investment, another challenge is not having enough experts, that is why we still have a lot of tourist sites being managed by non-professionals. We have shortage of competent people managing various aspects of the sector but with the training we are providing within the academic environment in Nigeria, we will in the next 10years produce enough qualified graduates to address the shortage", he assured
The tourism Expert revealed that most of the State Governments are afraid of investing in the sector because of its capital intensive nature, saying it requires long term investment before investors begin to get returns on such business venture
He however commended the efforts of both the Federal Government and that of Ogun State Government for investing in the development of some of the identified tourist sites including Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi, Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Okomu National Park, Obudu Cattle Ranch in Calabar, the famous historic Olumo Rock in Abeokuta, the Bilikisu Sungbo Shrine in Ijebu-Ode amongst others
The Federal Government is trying, taking giant steps in ensuring that tourism potentials in the country are well harnessed by identifying tourist sites, we have National Parks, Yankari Game Reserve, Gashaka-Gumti National Park, Obudu Cattle Ranch in Calabar, Cross Rivers State with the support of Nigeria Tourism Department Corporation . Ogun State is also committed to the development of tourism sector with attention given to the Olumo Rock in Abeokuta and the Bilikisu Sungbo in Ijebu-Ode through the Ministry of Culture and Tourism established to discover and develop all tourism potentials of the state
The Tourism Scholar identified opportunities for qualified graduates with Bachelor degree or Higher National Diploma and even holders of National Diploma seeking to make career in the sector, saying they work as Travel and Tour Managers, Tour Guides at tourist sites who guides tourists round tourist sites as well as Bar Managers and Executive Chefs at big hotels
"We have Event and Conference Organizers who co-ordinate leisure activities, Hotel Managers, Public Relations Managers with deep understanding of "Tourism Marketing" which is one of the courses being taught at the under graduate level in tertiary institutions", Dr. Agbebi stated
"Graduate of Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Management can even set up Tourism Agency, if he or she has the required financial resources, they can also work as Tour Operators with Airlines, booking flights for prospective clients or operate their own Airline companies or run Executive Buses to convey tourists wishing to travel by roads from Nigeria to Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast , Liberia or any of the countries in West Africa sub region", he added
For students interested in studying Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Management which is one of the social science courses at the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic or any other higher Institutions of learning in Nigeria, they must have credit passes in five subjects at the Ordinary School Certificate level including English Language and Mathematics as compulsory subjects, other subjects from any of the following; Geography/Economics / Commerce /History as well as Agriculture /Health Science/ Biology or Catering Craft/Home Economics and one Nigerian language Yoruba/Igbo/ Hausa
Tourism according to the United Nations' World Tourism Organization, is a temporary movement of people from a normal place of aboard for pleasure or different business purposes within 24 hours and not more than a year
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