Some stakeholders in the tourism sector on Wednesday said that the industry had not gained remarkable growth over the years due to multiple taxation.
In separate interviews in Lagos, stakeholders insisted the problem had denied many investors receiving returns on their investment and expand such businesses.
They appealed to the government to proffer solutions to this problem by drawing up a workable master plan for the redevelopment of the industry through harmonization of the numerous taxes.
Shina Peller, the Managing Director of Quillox Nightclub, urged the Federal Government to ensure that the various taxes were streamlined and payable into a recognised agency of government.
He said that based on his experience as a nightlife operator, a huge percentage of his profit was usually expended on taxes that were not budgeted for.
Also, Mr Lanre Awoseyin, the president of Nigeria Hotel Association (NHA) said that government needed to create the enabling environment for all businesses in the tourism value chain to thrive properly.
He said most hoteliers had been forced out of business because they could not cope with multiple taxation.
According to him, the tourism industry which government sees as an alternative means of revenue generation for the country can only do so when government wades into the existing problems.
He said that some of the taxes should be expunged to enable hoteliers stay and thrive in business.
Earlier, Mr Olubunmi Oshindero, Chief Executive Officer of Boomtrust Travels and Tours, said that most foreign investors had been discouraged from investing in the industry due to multiple taxation.
He said that Nigeria as a country was at the receiving end because the country would be denied the deserved revenue when many investors were discouraged from investing.
He, however, called on the Federal Government to look inwards and ensure the tourism industry value chains were given an enabling environment to thrive.
“Government should try and synchronise the various taxes into one to gain the confidence of both local and international investors to invest in the tourism industry’’, he said.
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