Sterling Bank Plc has been honoured with the Special Recognition
Award for Tourism Support at the 2021 edition of the Nigeria Tourism Awards,
also known as The Balearica Awards.
The Nigeria
Tourism Awards recognise and celebrate exemplary and outstanding individuals
and organisations in the country's tourism sector.
Presenting the
award to the Bank, Efetobo byAwhana, CEO of the Balearica Awards, acknowledges
Sterling Bank's deliberate intervention in the tourism industry in 2020. He
said that Bank's announcement of a dedicated fund for the tourism sector was
timely and similar to stimulus packages of countries like Switzerland, Japan
and Mexico.
"The
Balearica, named and designed after the Crowned Crane - once voted the national
bird of Nigeria, has become the icon of excellence for the Nigerian tourism
industry. The Special Recognition Award for Tourism Support honours the
non-tourism brand that has had the most deliberate impact on the growth of
tourism in Nigeria in 2020," Awhana stated.
Last year,
immediately after the COVID-19 induced lockdown was lifted, Sterling Bank
pledged N10 billion as an intervention fund for the domestic tourism sector.
The Bank's CEO, Abubakar Suleiman, committed the funds while addressing players
in the tourism value chain at a session organised by the Nigerian Tourism
Corporation (NTDC) on reimagining tourism. Months after, the Osun State
Government honoured the Bank with the Institution Award of Excellence for its
role in the accelerated delivery of the Osun Sterling Tourism vision 30-30 and
masterplan.
Receiving the
special recognition award, Shina Atilola, Divisional Head, Retail and Consumer
Banking, expressed delight that the sector immediately recognises, rewards, and
celebrates the bank's commitment to tourism development.
"At Sterling
Bank, we believe the private sector should support the government's effort to
enhance the quality of life of the people, creating jobs, and a future of
shared prosperity for all.
"For this
reason, we are at the forefront of the private sector drive to revitalise the
country's tourism sector, which has the potential to stimulate economic growth,
inclusive development, and environmental sustainability. Tourism is a powerful
poverty reduction tool that presents special opportunities to all, including
the poor and disadvantaged. Our intervention is stimulating innovation,
entrepreneurship that will activate the potential of destinations across the
country to attract local and international tourists." Atilola said.
Nigeria's
potential for tourism is vast. It can exploit its many natural and
breath-taking endowments to diversify the economy through tourism, making
significant contributions to GDP. Sterling Bank is at the forefront of
private-sector-led efforts to make this a reality.
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