Operators of the tourism and hospitality industry in the country have been challenged to adhere to the principles and ethics of responsible hospitality and tourism practices in their operations to curb the current spate of climate change threatening humanity globally.

Distinguished Senator Nora Ladi Daduut, Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism who expressed the concern while declaring open the 2022 Annual Master Lecture Series organized by the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism NIHOTOUR in Abuja, said every sector of human endeavor has in one way or the other impacted negatively on the environment leading to the emission of carbons that deplete the ozone layers and pollute the environment.

Senator Daduut who spoke through one of her aides Isaac Aliyu said the choice of the 2022 theme by NIHOTOUR couldn’t have come at a better time than now when the global community is being challenged by unwholesome climatic change and needs urgent human intervention to curb its menace and safe humanity of its dire consequences.

Earlier in his welcome address, Nura Sani Kangiwa, Director General of NIHOTOUR said the choice of the theme for this year’s Master Lecture Series on Climate Change was deliberate as a way of complementing the Federal Government’s efforts in achieving Goal No. 13 of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) which seeks to tackle the menace of climate change by all nations across the globe.

While speaking through Dr. Taiwo Famogbiyele, Director of Research and Development, that the Hospitality and Tourism industry is also contributing to the worsening climatic condition by its operations that do not adhere to guidelines of mitigation procedures against environmental destabilization and pollution, Kangiwa urged operators to retrace their steps and be vanguards in the efforts to correct the anomaly through responsible and sustainable hospitality and tourism operation practices as desired by the United Nations World Tourism Organizations (UNWTO).

Also delivering a keynote address at the event, Dr. Ifeoma Adaora Anyanwutaku, Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Information and Culture represented by Mrs. Patricia Narai, Director of Domestic and Eco-Tourism Promotion and Control, stated efforts by the federal government to cut carbon emissions to the barest minimum through responsible tourism and hospitality operations as part of the country’s contribution to global efforts at mitigating climate change.

Stakeholders and partners of NIHOTOUR present at the occasion delivered Goodwill messages commending the Institute for taking the initiative of seeking the ways and means of addressing such an important global phenomenon as Climate Change in the interest of the country in particular and the World at large.

A total presentation of 23 papers was made by Lecturers and Instructors from the nine Campuses of the Institute spread across the six geo-political zones of the country, including Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory with varying sub-themes bordering on the main theme of the 2022 Master Lecture Series; Driving Global Climate Action Through Responsible Tourism/Hospitality Business in Nigeria.