NIHOTOUR Gastronomy Festival 2024 Will Shape Future Of Tourism In Nigeria – Dangiwa
By: Onome Ose
The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) geared up during its annual Gastronomy Festival held in Abuja.
Nura Sani Dangiwa, Director General of National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), said the 2024 Gastronomy Festival will shape the future of tourism, empower local communities and foster development in Nigeria.
Sani Dangiwa made this at the 4th NIHOTOUR Gastronomy Festival and Gala night with a theme: “Sustainable Food Production from Farm to the Table” on Friday in Abuja.
According to Dangiwa, the event will expose professionally trained food and beverage production and service expertise and a wide array of prepared flavours of rich ancestral traditions from different countries to foster stronger community bonds and promote Nigerian culture worldwide.
The exciting event which saw many participation from several diplomatic missions in Nigeria, including Spain, China, Senegal, Congo DR, and Trinidad and Tobago, who showcase their country’s unique foods and beverages.
“Our goal is to collectively shape the future of Nigeria gastronomy tourism, emphasizing its potential to empower local communities and foster rural development and socio-economic growth as an all strategic priorities outlined in the UN Tourism Agenda for Africa Tourism for Inclusive Growth,” he said.
Dangiwa further states that the gastronomy festival is to expose Nigerians and global community to the professional skillful art of appreciating and exposing our foods, cooking, culinary skills and cuisine to the hospitality, tourism occupational trades and the general public. Hence, keeping with the spirit of exposing and promoting the works of trained competencies with quality assurance and standards is germane to achieving the Institute mandate.
The festival attracts thousands of visitors and provides a great opportunity for hospitality and tourism professionals, students, and enthusiasts to learn about sustainable food production, from farm to table.
There was exhibition of Nigerian foods and drinks from the six geographical zones of the country which includes; South East, South South, South West, North Central, North East and North West. In addition, international cuisines were represented too.
During the festival, a Leading chefs and restaurant franchises in Nigeria also showcase their signature dishes. Culinary schools in Abuja participated in live cake-making competitions. The masterclass, which held in Lagos on May 26, and in Abuja on May 29, led by Chef Alex Marugan from Madrid, Spain.
NIHOTOUR use the opportunity to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the hospitality and tourism sectors in Nigeria by inducting them as Fellows of the Institute (FHTI).
NIHOTOUR, established by an Act of Parliament, is responsible for training, certifying, and registering personnel in Nigeria’s hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors. It also coordinates the Hospitality and Tourism Sector Skills Council of Nigeria (HTSSCN).
Minister of Tourism
The minister, Ms. Lola Ade-John, who was represented by her Special Adviser on Policy and Legal Service, Teniola Jibike commended NIHOTOUR and other diplomatic nations for showcasing their diverse cuisine, which reflects the gastronomic beauty and diversity in Nigeria and others. She added that the message to all of us is to eat healthy, eat fresh, eat food devoid of preservatives and live longer.”
Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria
Mr. Juan Ignacio Sell, emphasized the importance of gastronomy for Identity, a tool for international dialogue and tourism promotion. He also said that Gastronomy can be crucial for identity it can even become a tool for international discourse and key for tourism promotion. He stressed that Nigeria is blessed with a very wonderful and diverse cuisine.
Chinese Embassy
Cultural Counsellor of Chinese Embassy, Mr. Li Xuda noted that Nigeria and China are well-known for their splendid culture, and they share similarities in many fields, including the field of gastronomy. Xuda stated that since both countries have vast land and abundant resources, each region has different climate and agricultural products. Our food culture has formed since the ancient time and has already been deeply rooted in our traditional culture, the rapid social development in recent decades has laid a solid foundation for China and Nigeria’s food culture. On this solid foundation, he reinstated that he is convinced that in the future our food culture will be better developed, people’s living standard will be further improved, and our two countries’ sustainable development will be greatly promoted!
The high point of this year’s Gastronomy food festival was the special feature of this year’s festival was a master class organised by the Spanish Embassy in partnership with NIHOTOUR including the cake decoration competition, food sampling of cuisines from the six Geopolitical Zones of Nigeria, China, Spain, South Africa Senegal, DR Congo, Trinidad and Tobago among others, as well as induction of new Fellows of the Institute (FHTI) for their outstanding contributions to the growth and development of the hospitality and tourism sectors in Nigeria.
The festival, which started in 2021, aims to fill the gap in skilled gastronomy and culinary professionals in Nigeria.
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