Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said
Nigeria is fast becoming a destination of choice for international
tourists because of the favourable policies of the present
administration.
The Minister made the remarks in Abuja on Monday when he received the
organisers and contestants of the Miss Polo International Beauty
Pageant, due to hold in the nation’s capital on Tuesday.
“There is no doubt that Nigeria is fast becoming a destination of
choice for international tourists, thanks to the country’s hospitable
people, the country’s increasingly-high rating in the international
community and the successes achieved by the present Administration in
ensuring the security of lives and property, as well as providing the
such infrastructure as power, roads, and rail.
”The Administration’s Visa On Arrival policy is also helping in
making Nigeria a destination of choice for tourists and business
people in general. The Federal Government will continue to pursue
those policies that are fast turning Nigeria into a destination of
choice: Enhancing security, building infrastructure, implementing the
tourism master-plan, and strengthening the Visa On Arrival Policy,” he
said.
Mohammed said just before the Beauty Pageant, Nigeria hosted
high profile international events such as the UN World Tourism
Organisation-Commission for Africa Meeting, which was attended by
Tourism Ministers and representatives from 51 African countries, as
well as the World Congress of the International Press Institute (IPI)
that attracted journalists and editors from around the world.
He said the recent surprise visit by President Emmanuel Macron of
France to the African Shine in Lagos has also confirmed that Nigeria
is now set to receive global tourists.
The Minister said from the testimonies of the participants at the
UNWTO-CAF Meeting and the IPI World Congress, it was clear that what
they saw when they visited Nigeria is totally at variance with what
they may have heard or read about the country.
In her remarks, the President of the Miss Polo International Beauty
Pageant, Mrs. Ibife Alufohai, said the pageantry is not just about
beauty but also to recognise excellence in creativity and community
service, particularly in the improvement of the quality of education
by the beauty queens in their individual countries.
She thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for securing the country and
providing the right atmosphere for such an international event to take
place.
For her part, Miss India, Nasneen Sheikh, said her experience in
Nigeria made her to feel at home and that she is prepared to change
the perception of the world about Nigeria.
“If you want to see a change, be the change and I am here to be the
change for everybody out there to clear the mentality of the entire
world, not only my country, about Nigeria,” she said.
Also speaking, Miss Finland said while coming for the pageantry, her
parents had expressed apprehension about the security situation in
Nigeria, adding that having visited the country, she can confirm to
the world that Nigeria is safe.
“My family was worried. They said you want to go to Nigeria, it’s not
safe but it’s safe and I am absolutely happy to be here,” she said.
Miss Denmark, Monika Kuzmova, said after spending time in Nigeria, she
will take it upon herself to change the opinions of people about
Nigeria.
“My mission here is to open the eyes and minds of the people in
Europe, especially my family, to change their opinion about Africa,
especially this country, Nigeria,” she said.
For Miss Kenya, Sheila Kanini, having interacted with a lot of
Nigerians in her country, she had been looking forward to visiting
Nigeria, adding that she found Abuja to be a beautiful city.
Contestants from 17 countries across five continents are participating
in the Miss Polo International Beauty pageant.
