A TOURISM VILLAGE WITH A STYLE

Long before now, the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation head office is like any other office(s) within the old federal secretariat complex located at Area 1 Garki in Abuja.

However, a trip to the same office today is a prove of the taste of its chief occupant, Chief Olusegun Runsewe who upon assumption of office decided to turn around to the area of the expansive complex that has served as the corporation’s office for close to a decade now.

Contrary to what use to exist on that same piece of land, the office, now named Tourism Village is a beauty to behold. The village portrays the rich cultural heritage of our great nation having been adorned with a medley of picture, colours and images of the different part of our cultural life.

One interesting aspect of the tourism village is that, apart from the main office building, all other structures are our local huts with thatched roofs. Some of the structures at the Tourism Village include the Village Hall, Village Restaurant, a weaving loom and a state-of the-art recording studio.

Conducting participants and journalists round the village, The NTDC DG explained the need to have such a befitting environment as the NTDC office. “We have the strongest tourism culture in the world and like my people will say Eni to ma d’aso ro ni, t’orun e la’nwo (he who will cloth another person must have good cloths himself to prove his/her ability). So, we cannot remain in some filthy environment to market ourselves. This is a re-branding of the office. We want to make the place liveable and colourful so that investors, stakeholders and Nigerians generally will take us serious.” He explained adding that it is important to set an example of what tourism should be.

“Tourism is all about beauty and wonders of creation and that is what we have created here. Our office already is a tourist attraction any tourist cannot resist and is already generating revenue for us. People come in from far and near to buy artworks and crafts, cloths, locally made shoes among others or to eat in our village restaurant. What you have here is a practical demonstration of the ability of tourism to generate much more revenue for us than oil. Besides, we also create employment for the youth” he added.

The recording studio, also located in a round thatched-roof hut, according to the DG is second only to AIT and NTA stations “what we have here is undoubtedly one of the best and I would want all the tourism board here to ensure that you replicate what you have seen here today once you return home” he appealed.

Jerry Adesewo