The President of NATOP, Mrs Bolaji Mustapha, gave the commendation during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
She said the improvements were propelled by renewed government attention and structural reforms.
She said there had been a complete turnaround in the past two years.
According to her, merging the creative and tourism industries, and the appointment of a minister to oversee their affairs played a key role in repositioning tourism as a viable economic sector.
“It’s a different ballgame for us now, it changes a lot of things.
“The awareness of tourism has increased; a lot of people are more aware about tourism in Nigeria, and the tourist sites in Nigeria.
“There are a lot of people in Africa coming into Nigeria and the game is changing and these have been the things that we have been advocating.
“For tourism in Nigeria to grow and the products we’ve identified are now coming into play, are now actually thriving and selling,” she said.
Mustapha, who is also the Founder of Grand Express Tour Centre, commended the Lagos State Government for showcasing what Nigeria had to offer, through its activities that had increased inbound travellers.
She cited the beaches, which are being cleaned up; investments in infrastructure as well as rehabilitation of roads and museums.
She, however, decried the inflation affecting the industry, making it challenging for many Nigerians to travel and visit tourist sites, in spite of the rising awareness.
She recommended that the governments collaborate with stakeholders in the industry, particularly the private sector to help with the management of the sites.
Speaking on security fears, she said it was important to sell the right narrative, which included the ongoing rehabilitation of roads across the nation, as well as stories, and videos of people who have visited these sites.
“Nigeria is safe. So, people need to travel to experience this themselves,” she said.
Also speaking, the General-Secretary of NATOP, Otunba Michael Balogun, said the visible progress was the establishment of a dedicated ministry for the creative economy.
“The minister is vibrant. You see her everywhere.
“The creative industry is really pushing so much now, with everything, you know.
“From going to Cannes Festival, the entertainment industry, even on the Netflix aspect of it, you can see that now a lot of Nigerian films are getting on board on Netflix,” he said.
He said the tourism industry was also looking more robust with the current administration, and that with better collaborations, the sector would get to the next level.
Balogun, however, said that though the creative and tourism industries have been merged, there seemed to be more attention on the creatives.
He urged stakeholders in the tourism industry to begin to push their narratives to the front burner to get more attention.
He particularly commended Lagos state government for the impact and milestones recorded in the past two years.
“We’ve been in partnership with them; like some of these festivals, we’ve been in attendance, like the Boat Regatta earlier this year.
“There’s so many activities coming up, and everybody is seeing the dividends,” he said.
Balogun urged governments to collaborate with stakeholders in the tourism industry to ensure they create a working calendar of activities, to avoid programmes clashing.
“So we as tour operators can sell those festivals, not like we just wake up and see on TV that there’s a festival going on and we are in the dark,” he said.
NAN further reports that President Bola Tinubu, in a statement to mark the second year of his administration, said, “In the spirit of democracy and national renewal, we are preparing to welcome the world to Nigeria soon for the Motherland Festival.
“This landmark gathering will spotlight our rich heritage, dynamic creative industries, and the vibrant energy of our people. It will showcase Nigeria’s beauty through tourism, culture, and innovation, inviting the world to rediscover our nation.
“The Motherland Festival will bring together voices from across the continent and the diaspora in a decisive moment of unity and purpose, affirming that Nigeria is not only a leader in Africa but a committed global partner ready to engage, inspire, and lead.
