By Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim
The Department of Tourism Management and Technology of Kaduna Polytechnic marked World Tourism Day 2025 with the theme “Tourism for Sustainable Transformation.” The event commemorated World Tourism Day to highlight tourism’s importance for sustainable human growth and societal coexistence among Nigeria’s diverse societies. It aimed to appreciate individuals contributing to tourism, sustainable development, and unity in Nigeria.
The Department awarded the following individuals for excellence, commitment, and contributions to sustainable development:
- Hannatu Musa Musawa, Honorable Minister, Ministry for Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy
- Dr. Suleiman Umar, Rector, Kaduna Polytechnic
- Dr. Muhammad Tanimu, Registrar, Kaduna Polytechnic
- Bala Aliyu, Deputy Registrar, Rectory, Kaduna Polytechnic
- Engr. Abubakar Jibrin Abdullahi, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Kaduna Polytechnic
- Malam Aliyu Hassan, Dean, College of Science and Technology, Kaduna Polytechnic
- Dr. Badaki Aliyu, President, Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria (FTAN)
- Chief Abiodun Odusanwo, National President, Institute for Tourism Professionals in Nigeria (ITPN)
- Princess Ayodele Martins Arokoyo, National Secretary, Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria (HATMAN)
- Usman Adamu, Human Resource Management, Airport Road Service, Abuja
The event gathered stakeholders from tourism, academia, and government to discuss tourism’s role in driving Nigeria’s economic growth, preserving culture, and ensuring environmental stewardship. It emphasized sustainable tourism practices for economic growth, cultural preservation, and environmental protection.
Minister Hannatu Musa Musawa highlighted tourism’s importance as an economic growth driver in her paper presentation. She thanked Kaduna Polytechnic’s Department of Tourism Management Technology for organizing the event.
Dr. Suleiman Umar, Kaduna Polytechnic’s Rector, stressed innovation and technology’s need in advancing sustainable tourism, pointing out virtual tours and digital marketing’s role in promoting heritage sites.
Dr. Maryam Abdullahi, Head of the Department of Tourism Management Technology, spoke of tourism’s immense importance in creating jobs, stimulating local economies, and fostering cross-cultural understanding. She expressed gratitude to guests, speakers, and participants.
Dr. Maryam highlighted the event as significant and historic for the department, Kaduna Polytechnic, and Nigeria – marking World Tourism Day with ceremonial regalia, a first of its kind. Students wore cultural attire; Kaduna Polytechnic Tourism ALUMNI celebrated with the department.
The event stressed academia-industry-government collaboration for sustainable tourism. It featured wild fruit gastronomy display showcasing edible fruits like watermelon, orange, pineapple, coconut, pawpaw, guava, local fruits (yalo, gauta, banana, dabino, ridi, goruba, magarya, kurna, garin kuka, tsamiyan biri, adua, taura, kuli-kuli, dakuwa).
Cultural dances reflected Nigeria’s diversity – Igbo youth dance, Yoruba dance, Hausa dance, Fulani dance, Gwari dance, Igbira dance – known for energy and acrobatic moves symbolizing skill and grace. Dance served as cultural expression, tradition transmission, community building, identity expression, and a means of cultural revitalization and peacebuilding.