The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has granted scholarships to 100 Nigerians for study on Certificate on Introduction to Tourism and Industry Management Course.

The UNWTO Secretary-General, Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili, announced this in Madrid, Spain at a bilateral meeting between Nigeria and the Organisation on the hosting of the first Global Conference on Cultural Tourism and Creative Industry.

According to him, the conference will be held from Nov. 14 to Nov. 17 at the National Theatre in Lagos, currently being renovated.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who represented Nigeria at the meeting signed the agreement for the hosting of the conference by the country.

Pololikashvili, who presented a certificate for the scholarship, said the UNWTO approved the grant in recognition of the efforts of Nigeria and the minister to the organisation and global tourism in general.

The UNWTO secretary-general also announced that Nigeria had been granted two slots for kids that would participate in the UNWTO Conference for Children holding in Rome in in October.

He said the minister should present two names of kids between 12 years and 16 years that would represent the country at the event.

Giving details of the scholarship grant, the minister said it would be available to beneficiaries to acquire education in the UNWTO Online Academy which is powered by one of the foremost universities in Spain.

“The idea is to get young people interested in tourism early in life and learn the basic tools on tourism in a manner that many of them will be encouraged to understand what tourism is all about and choose it as a profession.

“It is being given to Nigeria in recognition of the ministry’s contributions to UNWTO, growth of tourism and the passion and commitment to tourism,” he said.

On the process for selection of beneficiaries of the scholarship grant, Mohammed said the UNWTO Online Academy would give the criteria.

“We will study it and advertise or use whatever possible means working with other agencies under the tourism and culture arm of the ministry to choose the best 100 people that will benefit from the grant.

“We are also going to work closely with professionals, associations and organisations associated with tourism,” he said.

The minister said his visit to Madrid was successful with the signing of the agreement to host the first ever global conference on creative industry in the country.

“The unique thing about this particular hosting of the global conference is that it is not just about Nigeria showcasing itself to the world in terms of tourism, creative industry such as movie, films, fashion, and gastronomy.

“The UNWTO is also helping to get some countries that will also come to exhibit what they have in their own countries in terms of creative industry.

“Most importantly, they have also taken over the responsibility of promoting and advertising the global conference using all platforms including the UN General Assembly,” he said.

Mohammed said the conference would be a landmark event for the country and give opportunity for Nigeria to assert its leadership position in the creative industry sector in Africa.

He assured that nothing would be left undone to ensure a successful hosing of the global event.

The Star