The South African
High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Lulu Mnguni, on Wednesday said that about
50,000 Nigerians visited South Africa for tourism annually.
Mnguni told the
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that Nigerians constituted about 50,000
of the recorded annual average of about 10 million foreign tourists.
“South
Africa has really been able to harness her tourism potentialto continue to
attract internal and external tourists. “South Africa receives an average of
about 10 million foreign tourists yearly, including about 50,000 Nigerian
visitors,’’ he said.
The high commissioner, who said that his government was
ready to share its tourism development expertise with Nigeria, noted that
Nigeria was endowed with potential that needed to be harnessed.
According to
him, Nigeria is blessed with a large population and rich tourism potential in
favour its tourism development.
Mnguni, who restated his government’s
commitment to supporting Nigeria in making the sector viable, also enjoined
Nigeria to encourage Public Private Partnership in the sector’s development.
“We have always believed that when Nigeria is strong, South Africa also becomes
strong. “Nigeria has all the attributes of becoming an enviable tourism
destination. We will therefore, like to see Nigeria build her potential into a
very strong economic pillar.
“As South Africa, we do not want to be an island
of prosperity in a sea of poverty. We really want to develop alongside with our
strategic partners like Nigeria,’’ he said.
Mnguni also expressed his government’s readiness to support Nigeria in addressing problems of poverty, unemployment, homelessness and marginalisation.
He also said that his
government would continue to sustain a mutually beneficial partnership with
Nigeria as well as promote cordial relationship between the citizens of both
countries.
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