December 26, (THEWILL) – The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), brain child ‘pilot-phase’ of the Sustainable Tourism Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP), has trained and empowered a total of 150 youths and women on the making of throw- pillows and duvet sets.
The STEP project, which cut across campuses including Enugu, Benin City, Lagos, Bauchi, Abuja and Argungu in Kebbi State, focuses on fully-funded hands-on training of displaced youths and women on the making of throw-pillows and duvets, as part of the hospitality industry value-chain and tradecraft.
The Director General of NIHOTOUR, Nura Sani Kangiwa, spoke with reporters in Abuja, during the STEP training held at the Head Office of the Institute in Abuja.
Kangiwa explained that the pilot phase of the STEP project includes hospitality trade, up-skilling in soap-making and the sustainability of start-up businesses in the sector. He assured that the training on soap-making will be held in the weeks ahead at 12 NIHOTOUR campuses and training centres across the country.
NIHOTOUR had announced that the STEP project is a novel concept of tourist host community poverty reduction and manpower development. The project was designed to train, equip and mentor trainees on hands-on skills and entrepreneurial capacities for successful operation of small businesses in the Tourism and Hospitality industry value chain. institutions.
He said, “NIHOTOUR) has commenced the pilot-phase implementation of training, upskilling and empowerment of indigent youths and women under its Sustainable STEP project.”
The STEP project is now being implemented across the six geopolitical zones, starting from December 5, 2022, through the end of the year and the incoming year.
NIHOTOUR, a parastatal in the Federal Ministry of Information & Culture, is involved in training, consultancy, research and publications in order to promote skills development and entrepreneurship programmes for the industry. Since its inception in 1987, following a tripartite agreement involving the Federal Government, the United Nations Development Programme and the International Labour Organisation, the Institute is believed to have played pivotal roles in building tourism and hospitality entrepreneurial ecosystems through various tailor-made entrepreneurship development programmes.
NIHOTOUR is also the coordinating agency for the operation of the Hospitality and Tourism Sector Skills Council of Nigeria (HTSSCN), a strictly private sector-driven engagements platform for the sector professional associations, unions, employers, stakeholders and major players, to meet demand skills gaps for standards, quality service delivery, improved productivity and contribution to the nation’s economy.
About the Author
Janefrances Ebere Chibuzor is a Tourism Writer at THEWILL
