…To break Guinness World Record for longest dining table
Despite the clamour by many stakeholders in the Nigerian hospitality industry for the suspension of the enforcement of the registration of hotel personnel across the industry, the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), has insisted that the exercise would go on considering its huge benefits.
Weighing in on the need for regulation within the Nigerian hospitality industry, Abisoye Fagade, director general, NIHOTOUR, pointed to the huge benefits, while warning that the sector cannot thrive in a free-for-all environment.
“Yes, Nigeria needs regulation within this industry to ensure quality standards are maintained,” he explained. “People just come out with packages on tours without proper structure. Even banks now say they are doing tours. We need order and a regulatory framework that ensures professionalism and quality.”
He noted further that NIHOTOUR is committed to strengthening the capacity of operators in the industry through training and certification, while also collaborating with other agencies on policy reforms that will bring discipline to the industry.
Apart from discipline, the registration exercise being enforced by the institute, according to him, will also boost training and certification for workforce in the industry, while equipping them with the necessary tools to raise industry standards to be at par with global standards.
Speaking during a breakfast meeting with the members of the Association of Nigerian Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET), held recently in Lagos, the director general cleared the air over the wrong perception of the enforcement exercise by some stakeholders, noting that it is all for the good of the industry as hoteliers shortchange themselves and stunt the growth of the industry by operating in a free-for-all environment.
There has to be a standard and the NIHOTOUR Act 2022 has empowered the institute to do so., but with a human face, as the institute has been meeting with the stakeholders to create awareness of the benefits and to also ensure smooth compliance.
In a related development, NIHOTOUR is set to break the Guinness World Record with longest dining table at the 2025 Gastronomy Festival in Abuja.
Disclosing the details of the Guiness World Book Record attempt to ANJET members at the breakfast meeting, Fagade stated that the epoch-making event slated for December 6, 2025, is going to be a bang, as well as signalling the beginning of Detty December in Abuja.
He noted that the President Bola Tinubu is expected to be part of the dignitaries expected to feast on the longest dining table.
Read also: Respite in hospitality industry as minister suspends enforcement of NIHOTOUR Act
“It is something that you have never seen in this country before and it is going to be an experience,” he said.
“We have scaled the first hurdle, we have gotten a letter saying we can go ahead with the longest table, that is why I am announcing it to you. We have done the process and in another couple of days or weeks, we will be making the payment. We have gotten a letter to say we can go ahead and start preparations.
This is to also say that Detty December is for the whole of Nigeria, there are other places we can go to than the usual place everybody usually goes to”.
Fagade continued that: “We are expecting the President to be part of the table, you can’t have that kind of event without the head being there and it is easier to attract him when we are in Abuja than going to somewhere else.
“The longest table will be like 3500 metres and the title holder is about 2000 metres, we want to break that record”.
He called on the private sector to be part of the event, stressing that they are already in talks with some of the private sector players who are willing to put their money on that.
Apart from the longest dining table, the director general noted that this year’s Gastronomy Festival is going to be a unique experience as all the embassies would be invited to showcase their country’s culinary offerings, as well as culinary expertise from across the country.
This year’s festival will also feature the longest bar in Nigeria where drinks, palm wine, brukutu and other local brews would be served.
