Despite the abundance of tourist sites in the country, many Nigerians still prefer to travel to South Africa for tourism.
The South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Lulu Mnguni, gave credence to this on Wednesday when he revealed that about 50,000 Nigerians visited South Africa for tourism annually.
Mnguni disclosed in Lagos that Nigerians constituted about 50,000 of the recorded annual average of about 10 million foreign tourists.
“South Africa has really been able to harness her tourism potential to continue to attract internal and external tourists.
“South Africa receives an average of about 10 million foreign tourists yearly, including about 50,000 Nigerian visitors,’’ he said.
The high commissioner, who said that his government was ready to share its tourism development expertise with Nigeria, noted that Nigeria was endowed with potential that needed to be harnessed.
According to him, Nigeria is blessed with a large population and rich tourism potential in favour of its tourism development.
Mnguni, who restated his government’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in making the sector viable, also enjoined Nigeria to encourage Public Private Partnership in the sector’s development.
“We have always believed that when Nigeria is strong, South Africa also becomes strong.
“Nigeria has all the attributes of becoming an enviable tourism destination. We will therefore, like to see Nigeria build her potential into a very strong economic pillar.
“As South Africa, we do not want to be an island of prosperity in a sea of poverty. We really want to develop alongside with our strategic partners like Nigeria,’’ he said.
Mnguni also expressed his government’s readiness to support Nigeria in addressing problems of poverty, unemployment, homelessness and marginalisation.
He also said that his government would continue to sustain a mutually beneficial partnership with Nigeria as well as promote cordial relationship between the citizens of both countries.
source: nigerianeye
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