The Nigeria Hotel Association has warned that it will soon begin shutting down unregistered hotels across the country.

The association’s president, Patrick Anyanwu, said this while addressing newsmen during a parley of its national executive and state chairmen in Owerri, on Thursday.

Mr Anyanwu, who spoke on the first day of the two-day meeting, said that the unruly activities of criminals who lodged in unregistered hotels were a major contributor to insecurity in the country.

He called on all hotel owners to identify with the NHA or risk a shutdown through the use of legal force, describing the hospitality industry as “one of the most important drivers of economic growth in Nigeria”.

“In the near future, hotels that refuse to register with the NHA will face penalties and may risk being shut down as part of efforts to sanitise the industry. We cannot continue to allow any hotel that is not registered to operate and damage the reputation of our association because they use such facilities to commit crimes that affect the nation in general,“ Mr Anyanwu said.

He further urged the government at all levels to provide interventions, such as grants or bailout funds, to support the association and its members nationwide.

Mr Anyanwu commended the federal and Imo governments for their efforts to promote tourism and create an enabling environment for the growth of the hospitality sector.

Mr Anyanwu, however, decried the multiple taxation of hoteliers across Nigeria and called for caution, urging state governments to work cooperatively with hoteliers in their respective domains.

“In consideration of our huge contribution to employment, revenue generation, accommodation of government visitors from all over the world and national development, it is only fair that the government supports us.

“The recent action of the National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism has been seriously affecting the hospitality industry, especially hotels, over the implementation of the NIHOTOUR Act 2022, and this is not in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the federal government.

“This is against the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that put tourism services under a residual list and has to stop, as we will not allow any agency or group to harass or intimidate our members,” Mr Anyanwu said.

(NAN)