Africa: Dr. Abiodun Odusanwo wins Top 100 Tourism Personalities in Nigeria

Chief Abiodun Abisayo ODUSANWO,( MBA, FITP), the National President of The Institute for Tourism Professionals (ITP), the 2nd National Deputy President Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), and also a Senior Institutional Strengthening Consultant, has been listed in the Top 100 Tourism Personalities in Nigeria.

The listing of the Top 100 Tourism Personalities in Nigeria by Travellers Magazine is historic and an effort to cast in gold the faces of the people who are behind the great effort and deep sacrifices in promoting tourism in Nigeria despite the harsh conditions they operate within the tourism landscape in Nigeria. Travellers Magazine is the first travel magazine in West Africa, remaining consistent in its publications for over 22 years.

Top 100 Tourism Personalities in Nigeria list was set up to recognize individuals who have distinguished themselves as foremost and outstanding drivers in the travel and tourism industry in Nigeria; and through their efforts and or that of their organizations have impacted positively on the travel and tourism sector in Nigeria, stimulating and helping to achieve the country’s tourism goals and forging interactions among stakeholders and customers across the country. This is the second edition.

In 1999 Travellers Magazine published its first Compilation of the Nigerian Top 100 Tourism Club. Almost two decades later the list needs to be updated. Chief Abiodun Abisayo has been honored to have emerged on that list.

As the President of ITP, Chief Odusanwo led a team of skilled and experienced practitioners and technocrats, with a breadth of commercial expertise and hard won public sector experience to make the Institute the Premier Professional Membership Organization and awarding body for the Hospitality and Tourism industry in Nigeria.

His service to the promotion of tourism has enlisted him in the Top 100 Tourism Personalities in Nigeria.

He worked on projects for countries, regions, cities, hotels, companies and resorts to develop their tourism potentials, improve income generation, and deliver real growth, and with public sector agencies to maximize market opportunities, increase economic profit, and reward, including business enterprise development training, small business seminars, and executive development workshops in the United Kingdom for UK and international clients. He is a Registered International Tourism Practitioner, Member of British Tourism Society, and the British Tourism Consultants Network.

As a Tourism Educationist, Chief Odusanwo served as a College Principal in London during which he was actively engaged in the harmonization of Tourism, Academic and Vocational Qualifications in Europe, and the advancement of Tourism Education across many countries. His Tourism Advisory and Operating Skills covers: Staff and Professional Development, Tourism Product Creation and Development, Tourism and Internally Generated Revenue, Quality Assurance and Service Standards, Business and Strategic Plans, Destination Marketing, Training & Skills development, Tourism Master Plan and Policy Implementation, Feasibility studies and Project Development, Classification and Grading of Hotel, Leisure and Hospitality Establishments, Management and Organisation Development for sustainable Tourism Development.

In Nigeria, Chief Odusanwo served as the Lead Hospitality and Tourism Specialist for the World Bank Assissted GEM Nigeria Project, Vice Chairman of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) National Mirror Committee ISO/TC 228 “Tourism and Related Services”, and with FTAN from 2011-2013-Chairman Standards and Manpower Development Committee, 2013-2017-V.P.South West, and currently the Chairman, National Working Committee on Legislations and Standards.

He served as a tourism and hospitality technical advisor to MDAs and International donor agencies on Institutional strengthening, capacity building, fund raising, and sustainable tourism development. Furthermore, Odusanwo contributed as a Lead Trade in Services Advisor for the Government of Nigeria (GoN) and WTO on Nigeria’s 5th Trade Policy Review (TPR).

Chief Abiodun is the convener of the annual National Tourism Transport Summit and Expo www.nttsummit.com which seeks to x-ray the tourism and transportation industries of the country as a means of boosting the national economy for sustainable growth and development. The summit also provide the platform for regulatory and enforcement agencies, national, state and local governments to reappraise and have a better understanding of the importance of the interface between tourism and transportation to local, state and national economies, and their impacts on community regeneration and employment opportunities that the sectors have to offer the teeming population of our youth.