By Ken Stanley

A Tourism and Hospitality Expert, Chief Steve Odo, has urged Enugu State Government to establish Tourism/Hospitality Institute to produce professionals to ensure superb hosting of the state’s anticipated yearly three million visitors.

Odo, who was the immediate past Chairman of Enugu State Tourism Board, made the call in an address delivered at the weekend with the theme: “Empowering Minds, Shaping Future”.

He made the address at the 38th Convocation and Matriculation Ceremony of Nwandu Memorial Institute, School of Catering, Hotel Management and Caregiver Training Centre, Enugu.

Odo, who is the author of the book “The Principles and Practice of Hospitality & Tourism Management”, also urged the state government to develop a Tourism and Hospitality Workforce Development Plan for a sustainable tourism sector.

According to him, the tourism industry has great potentials in Nigeria and Enugu State in particular.

“There are over 400 privately owned hotels in Enugu State; over 20 developed and undeveloped tourism destinations in the state as well as ongoing upgrading of five recreational parks within Enugu metropolis.

“The newly built International Conference Center (ICC), Enugu; famous Presidential Hotel (earlier abandoned is now almost completed rebuilt); Nike Lake Resort; another 5-Star Hotel is about to be completed within the ICC premises.

“Enugu Air was commissioned few days ago; and modern and conducive transport terminals have been built and ready to be commissioned within and outside Enugu City.

“Enugu State Government visions, through the instrumentality of Gov. Peter Mbah, to have three million tourists annually in the state. All these require the services of professionals like you,” he said.

The expert said that it is anticipated nationally that the tourism and hospitality sector would create 2.6 million new jobs over the next decade, doubling the number of those employed within the sector by 2032.

Odo, a former Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area, admonished the graduating students that apart from Enugu; Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja would be good options for opportunities for them to be self-employed or work for organisations.

Earlier, the Dean of Studies of the Institute, Mrs Regina Nmeribe, said that 30 graduating students were convoking from the institute, while 23 fresh students did their matriculation to undertake catering, hotel management and caregiving courses.

Nmeribe said that since the inception of the institute in 1982, it had graduated over 9,000 students, “many of whom have gone on to make significant contributions in their respective fields.”

She said, “For 43 years, we have remained committed to our mission of raising young and vibrant entrepreneurs who are driving national development.

“I urge our graduating students to continue to be good ambassadors of the institute and continue in the institute’s character of offering excellent service.”

The high points of the event were oath taking by the matriculating students; cutting of the convocation/matrication cake by the students and presentation of certificates to the graduating students.

It would be recalled that Odo is a former lecturer in the Department of Hospitality at both the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu and the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Benue State.

Odo is also a Fellow of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria (HATMAN).