NIHOTOUR Holds 2023 Gastronomy Festival

Justina Uzo

Tourism stakeholders beamed with happiness as the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) held another successful international tourism event in Abuja. In the past, NIHOTOUR, charged with the responsibility of building capacity for professionals in the travel industry in the country, had struggled with performance. Critics said there was nothing to write home about the “sleeping” tourism institute.  

NIHOTOUR with campuses in six geo-political zones in the country was the less known of the two tourism parastatals.

NIHOTOUR has now introduced an annual Gastronomy Festival to celebrate Nigerian food and drinks among other innovations.  

NIHOTOUR said they are desirous of celebrating Nigeria’s food and beverages from across the length and breadth of the country.

The tourism school stated that the Gastronomy Festival was conceptualised to expose culinary professionals to emerging global best practices, especially processing, presentation and packaging, especially Nigerian traditional delicacies.

Interestingly, NIHOTOUR is a million miles away from its previous rankings. On its third edition, the Gastronomy Festival got bigger and better. Heads of MDAs, including those of the National Theatre, Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC), National Orientation Agency, and the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), graced the occasion.

The Director General of NCAC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe joined a lineup of resource persons including Mr. Peter Igho, formerly of the Nigerian Television Authority, to deliver a paper during NIHOTOUR training.

Titled, “Tourism Communication: Bridging the Public and Private Sector Communication Gap,” Runsewe urged Travel and Tourism journalists under the aegis of ANJET to help bring the sectors together in order to make Nigeria a preferred tourism destination in Africa and by so doing Tourism can contribute to the nation’s economy.

 Apart from training, the festival added more features and was able to attract businesses and destinations even from far-flung countries like Trinidad & Tobago and Spain.

Senegal was one of the exhibitors that leveraged on the 2023 Gastronomy Festival in Abuja even though they were the least likely one to excel in a food fest.

Embassy of China was busy making more friends. Chinese envoy alongside other individuals and organisations that have excelled in tourism, were bestowed with awards by NIHOTOUR.

Senegal’s performance at the exhibition remained unrivalled. The embassy of Senegal in Abuja wooed visitors and delegates with its Jollof rice.

Ambassador of Senegal Nicolas Auguste Nyouky brought in a top chef from Senegal, perhaps someone from Wollof and upped Senegal’s Jollof best. Basically, the team ensured the focus was on Senegal destination.

They were keen on promoting Senegal as a tourism destination, handing out promotional material from Senegalese Tourism Promotion Agency to visitors which highlighted must-visit City of Dakar, Saint Louis, Island of Karabane among other attractions.

There were a lot of achievements for both delegates and visitors.

The Gastronomy Festival is believed to be one of the largest of its kind in Africa with public exhibition and free tasting of arrays of cuisine from over 300 ethnic groups in Nigeria and the international community.

With the theme “Culinary Arts: The Gateway to Growing Tourism Destinations,” 2023 Gastronomy Festival attracted businesses and destinations around the world.

Chinese food was available and delightful. A crowd waited patiently to be served at the Embassy of China’s booth.  

A celebrated Spanish chef Alex Marugan was one of the top chefs from around the world that added flavour to the event. The Embassy of Spain in Nigeria actually brought in Marugan to Abuja to share best practices and emerging global trends of culinary arts with some select culinary schools in Nigeria. 

On its third edition, the President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), in his goodwill message, said the Gastronomy Festival has broken the barriers which politics and business had failed to do in the past. He noted that chefs have united Nigerians and their cousins from the West African sub-region.

The Director General of NIHOTOUR, Mr.  Nura Sani Kangiwa was happy. He also said this year’s Gastronomy Festival doubled the number of its participants. He honoured the best NIHOTOUR campus and outstanding staff of the apex tourism school charged with capacity building.

Lagos Campus emerged the Over-all Best NIHOTOUR Campus of the Year 2023.  The Lagos Campus Coordinator, Mrs. Chinyere Uche-Ibeabuchi received the prize, an all-expense paid trip to Tunisia.

The SERVICOM Unit Head in NIHOTOUR Abuja Office, Mrs. Gemma Simon, emerged the ‘Best Staff of the Year’ winning a trip to Tunisis while Mr. Haladu Habu Wakili, a staff at the Registry Unit, NIHOTOUR Abuja, emerged the ‘Most Dedicated Staff- of the-Year-2023’ winning an all-expense trip to Senegal.