Imo State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Chuma Nnaji, has warned that unless the issue of kidnapping was resolved in the Niger Delta region as well as some parts of the country, the tourism industry would suffer a major set back henceforth.
Nnaji, in a lecture he delivered in Owerri titled: “Medical Tourism, Prospects and Challenges in a Depressed Economy,” also pointed out that the spate of attacks by pirates in the Somalia region of the Indian Ocean also pose great challenges to the development of tourism particularly medical tourism in Africa and indeed in the world.
The lecture was organised by Corps Health Team (COHET) of Imo State. The Imo State tourism commissioner outlined other problems that could hinder growth of tourism in Nigeria and in Africa.
The problems, he explained, were the current global meltdown, which now affects currencies of many nations as well as the general insecurity and depression in the world. His word: “Existing comparative advantages in cost of obtaining healthcare services are being dismantled by foreign currencies and this would discourage traveling overseas for medical attention.
“The depression may also make people become more selective in cases for which they seek medical attention abroad.
“There may be reductions in procedures like cosmetic surgery, for instance, and other forms of not-too-serious medical problems. Research aimed at the development of herbal remedies may also be adversely affected by financial constraints associated with the current depressions.”
The commissioner also lamented that the ugly trend of terrorism to which many tourists have become victims recently may also lead to the dearth of tourism in the developing world, adding that countries that have a high propensity for terrorism may not have anything to contribute to medical tourism.
However, Nnaji maintained that with the abundant human and material resources at the disposal of Nigeria, the depression could become a blessing to it as, according to him, it would now serve as a wake-up call on the government and the people to get their priorities right; fight corruption, enhance security and develop their healthcare facilities to meet international standard and attract medical tourists.
While foreseeing a bright future for Nigeria and its tourism sector, Nnaji challenged every Nigerian, group, faith-based organisations, governments at all levels to work towards encouraging tourism in the country.
