Alhaji Rabo Kareem, National President of FTAN who pledged the support during a courtesy visit on Alhaji Kangiwa in his office, Abuja Wednesday, along with some key officials of the Association said they took the decision to give the new Director General their maximum support in view of his passion and enormous contributions to the growth and development of the industry.

He said as a key player in the nation’s tourism industry at various times and levels both in the past and present, Kangiwa was most deserving of the appointment, noting that he has no doubt in his ability to deliver on the core mandate of NIHOTOUR.

Also speaking during the visit, the National President of the Institute of Tourism Professionals of Nigerian (ITPN), Chief Abiodun Odusanwo reiterated the importance of training and retraining in moving the Nigeria tourism industry to greater heights, the responsibility which he said lies solely on NIHOTOUR as the nation’s apex tourism and hospitality industry.

He urged the new NIHOTOUR Chief Executive Officer to ensure high quality training of personnel that conforms with international standards so as to achieve better service delivery in the industry in line with global best practice.

The President of the Hotel Owners Forum of Abuja (HOFA), Chief Ezeude promised to mobilize members of his forum to imbibe the culture of training of personnel in the Abuja hotel industry as doing so will mean improved and better service delivery of the hospitality sector.

Others who spoke at the occasion include the President of the Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria HATMAN, Mr. Samson Aturu and the Vice President of FTAN, South West Zone, Chief Ayo Olumuko who all extol the virtues of Kangiwa as a trusted and avid tourism professional who will make the industry stakeholders proud by putting in his very best to actualize the core mandate of the Institute for the greater and general good of the industry in particular, and the country at large.

In his response, Kangiwa expressed his delight with the visit, promising not to let them down in ensuring that the trust reposed in him for the appointment was a rightfully placed decision.

He noted that training and professional enhancement and competence are key to the success of a vibrant tourism industry, adding that NIHOTOUR under his watch is poised to ensure quality training for all cadres of professionals in the hospitality and travel-tourism industry and urged stakeholders particularly in the organized private sector to patronize courses and programs offered by the Institute for training and upgrade of professional practice and competence of their staff. The Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) is the umbrella body of all tourism associations in Nigeria with a membership of 23 associations and unions operating in the Organized Private Sector of the Nigerian Tourism and Hospitality industry of which Alhaji Nura Sani Kangiwa was its Vice President for the North West Zone 2017 to 2019.