The goal of the UNWTO conference, according to Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is to expedite our goal of turning the tourism industry into a preferred sector and the creative sector into a creative economy.
In light of the government's intention to support and facilitate an environment that is conducive to the true business growth of tourism and the creative industry, the Minister stated in his welcome speech on Tuesday in Lagos that the conference was the overarching goal.
“The hosting of this conference is a strong affirmation of Nigeria’s position as a trusted business hub, and a safe harbour for capital, talent and intellectual property. In the lead-up to the conference, Nigeria hosted the 2022 UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Week in Abuja, from 24th to 28th October 2022. Through the progressive scaling-up of our MICE events (with MICE here standing for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), we intend to build public confidence and increase our operational readiness to host international events. The hosting of these events in quick succession by the Nigerian government is also a testament to the increasing readiness, safety and security of our cities to play host to global events.
“This conference is very important in the history of the UNWTO and Nigeria because it marks the very first time that the organization, in a single forum, is bringing together the three inter-linked sectors of tourism, culture and the creative industries to highlight their fundamental importance as effective tools for inclusive development and drivers of sustainable growth. For Nigeria, the conference, which has drawn participants from many member states of UNWTO, industry players, international organizations, the academia and the media, among others, presents an ideal opportunity to showcase our rich, diverse and unparalleled tourism and creative assets, to do some networking, learn new things and share knowledge”.
The Minister said one of the key goals of this conference was to bring to the fore
sustainable solutions and innovative policies for the development and enhancement of the symbiotic potentials of tourism, culture and the creative industry. I am really excited about this conference and its deliverables in highlighting and promoting these interlinked sectors that are sustainable and inclusive. Today, more than ever, tourism and
the creative industry, due to their economic viability, is in the global spotlight and have their place at the forefront of national and international development agenda. The creative arts are estimated to generate annual revenue of over 2 trillion US dollars and account for over 50 million jobs worldwide. According to a recent IMF report, the
The entertainment and creative industry in Nigeria, which in the last decade has experienced massive growth and international recognition, accounts for 1.45 per cent of Nigeria’s GDP. In 2021, the number of annual film production stood at 2,500 with a projection of 22 million US Dollars.
Mohammed revealed that the revenue from music is estimated at 73 million US Dollars with an annual growth rate of 13.4%). In a similar vein, fashion contributes over 6.1% to the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), averaging between 2 per cent and 7per cent of national GDP around the world. These sectors contribute to the growth, resilience and recovery of the economy of societies and the well-being of individuals.
“Prior to Covid-19, travel and tourism had become one of the most important sectors in the world economy, accounting for 10 per cent of GDP and more than 320 million jobs worldwide. However, the global pandemic led to the loss of millions of jobs, as it affected micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. The good news is that the recovery of the travel and tourism sector is well underway. According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourism got back to 60% of pre-pandemic levels between January and July 2022. It said international tourist arrivals almost tripled from January to July 2022 (+172%), compared to the same period in 2021. This means the sector recovered almost 60% of pre-pandemic levels. The steady recovery reflects strong pent-up demand for international travel as well as the easing or lifting of travel restrictions to date (over 86 countries had no COVID-19 related restrictions as of 19 September 2022), the barometer showed’’ Alhaji Mohammed specified.
The meeting, he added provides an excellent opportunity to discuss ways and means to promote intra-Africa travel and tourism, leveraging on our vast and unique resources and our number, for mutual benefit to all member states. It is my expectation that this meeting will also serve as a platform towards establishing stronger linkages and functional collaboration among member states in order to realize the potentials that the continent is endowed with.
Alhaji Mohammed declared that the conference needed a better understanding of the economic impact of these inter-linked sectors, as well as of the impact on GDP and on jobs, because very often people do not realize that these sectors can be more important than many heavy industries, and they would never guess that those jobs were created by the cultural sector, adding that there was the need to put the numbers on the table, with a view to having an international roadmap to better support tourism and the creative industry, and national strategies for the countries that are engaged in this area.