The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) has officially inaugurated the Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal, a pioneering body established to enforce ethical standards, licensing compliance, and professionalism.
The tribunal’s Chairperson, former Chief Judge of the FCT Ishaq Bello, experienced in legal reform and judicial leadership, is expected to bring credibility and strength to the initiative.
|
|
The PREMIUM TIMES reported that the hospitality and tourism ministry established the Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Tribunal (HTTT), as an independent regulatory and adjudicatory body empowered to address disputes, enforce standards, and ensure compliance in the hospitality, tourism, and travel sectors.
While stressing the initiative’s importance at the inaugural ceremony, the Chairperson, House Committee on Tourism, Muktar Mohammed, applauded NIHOTOUR’s forward-thinking initiative.
|
|
|
|---|
He said the tribunal is a “turning point in our collective resolve to promote quality, safety, and global best practices in the sector.”
Mr Mohammed, who also chaired the inaugural ceremony, clarified that the tourism and hospitality industry is a critical pillar of the Nigerian economy whose standards must be enforced.
“The hospitality industry is a vital pillar of our national economy. However, for it to thrive sustainably, compliance with professional training and licensing standards must not be optional; it must be enforced,” he stated.
He further emphasised that the tribunal is not merely punitive but reformative in spirit, which will protect the industry’s integrity and enhance tourism sector delivery.
The Chairperson said, “It will serve as a platform for transparency, fairness, and reform. It will ensure that hoteliers, operators, and institutions meet the benchmarks etof NIHOTOUR and the Federal Ministry of Tourism.
“This is not just about enforcement — it is about protecting the integrity of our industry, enhancing service delivery, and building a tourism sector we can all be proud of,” he said.
Tribunal’s roles
Additionally, the Minister of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, who Ayodele Adebanjo represented, praised the tribunal’s establishment as a bold and necessary move.
“The Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Tribunal is a bold expression of this administration’s resolve to clean up and elevate the tourism space. We stand firmly behind NIHOTOUR and its leadership in this visionary step,” she stated through her representative.
READ ALSO: How Charly Boy Bus Stop was named after me – Charly Boy
Similarly, the Director-General of NIHOTOUR, Abisoye Fagade, noted that the tribunal is central to the Institute’s transformation from a training institution into a regulatory authority.
Mr Fagade reiterated that the tribunal’s inauguration has empowered NIHOTOUR to safeguard practitioners’ reputations. He said, “Our industry must operate on the foundation of competence, ethics, and standards. The tribunal gives us the authority to enforce discipline and safeguard practitioners’ reputations and the public’s trust.”
The tribunal is empowered to investigate and adjudicate cases involving professional misconduct, licensing violations, and ethical breaches by practitioners and institutions within the hospitality, travel, and tourism sectors.
It is designed to work collaboratively with stakeholders across public and private spheres to raise the bar for service delivery and sector integrity.
With this inauguration, Nigeria takes a bold step toward institutionalising accountability and professionalism, positioning the country as a destination ready to meet global expectations.
Discover more from Premium Times Nigeria
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
