Sunday 14 August 2011

Runsewe charges ECOWAS on development of sports tourism

Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, the Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), has called on ECOWAS leaders to integrate sports tourism into their economic planning.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja and signed by Mr Akin Onipede, the corporation's Chief Press Secretary.
The statement said Runsewe made the call when a delegation from some West African countries interviewed him on several pertinent issues relating to sports tourism development, in his office.
It quoted him as saying that the essence of ECOWAS was to promote interaction, investment and development among member nations.
``I appeal to the ECOWAS Bank to dedicate special funds to the promotion of tourism and sports as they are inseparable.
``South Africa made a whopping 2.4 billion U.S. dollars, according to FIFA sources, from hosting the World Cup last year,’’ the statement quoted Runsewe as saying.
It further quoted the NTDC boss as saying that most countries lost the bid to host sporting events because they did not develop their tourism potential.
The statement said that sports and tourism worked together through the generation of wealth and employment creation, especially for the teeming youths across the sub-region.
It said that sport was not only a critical component of the tourism industry, ``it is also a veritable tool for enhancing international peace, harmony, understanding and cooperation as well as engendering healthy diplomatic relations”.
The statement noted that when Nigeria hosted the 1999 World Youth Soccer Championship and the 2003 All African Games, there were significant breakthroughs both in terms of foreign exchange earnings and its international rating.
It quoted Runsewe as saying that ECOWAS could introduce a football tournament in addition to   the West African Football Union (WAFU).
``He said that sports tourism could be modeled after the Commonwealth, and the All African Games, ECOWAS Festival or the Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC), which Nigeria hosted in 1977.
``Runsewe observed that culture was a key component of the tourism industry, saying that one of the motivating factors to a destination was the desire to enjoy the cultural peculiarities of the people,’’ the statement said.
It quoted him as saying that tourism, culture and sports could be used by ECOWAS to reposition member states for international prominence and the rapid development of the sub-region. (NAN)

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