Tourism Chairman Urges AI Skills As Industry Faces Digital Shift

The Chairman of the Hospitality and Tourism Sector Skills Council of Nigeria (HTSSCN), Nkereuwem Onung, has urged practitioners in the tourism and hospitality industry to acquire new skills and embrace artificial intelligence (AI) as technology reshapes the sector.

Onung said the growing influence of data, AI and changing consumer behaviour meant that operators could no longer depend solely on traditional methods if Nigeria’s tourism industry must remain competitive.

He made the call in his 2026 World Tourism Day message themed, “Repositioning for the Future”, against the backdrop of this year’s global theme, “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism”.

“Tourism is changing, and we must change with it,” Onung said, stressing that data had become increasingly valuable as the industry entered a new phase driven by technology and evolving consumer expectations.