Lagos Govt meets stakeholders ahead of public presentation of Tourism Master Plan

...MAKES CASE FOR COMMUNITY-BASED TOURISM

Lagos State Government on Wednesday, expressed confidence that its proposed Tourism Master Plan would be embraced by all the concerned stakeholders, saying that members of the tourism sector have been properly briefed about the content of the Master Plan. 

The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf made this known at a skakeholders forum organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture at Ikeja, Lagos with the theme: “Promoting Domestic Tourism Post Covid-19".

According to Akinbile-Yusuf, the Master Plan was necessary in other to boost domestic tourism in the State thereby generating more revenue while also harnessing the potentials that abounds in the sector.

"Our conviction is drawn from the belief that this sector can thrive better if stakeholders are allowed to play their roles while the government provide the enabling environment by maintaining needed synergy with all individuals within the value chain. 

"It is also important to carry our stakeholders along in all our programmes, plans and policies such that the implementation of the Ministry’s policies would be easier and easily accepted by all the concerned practitioners," she said

The Commissoner reemphasized the  resolve to direct attention to the development of domestic tourism as a way of making tourism sites attractive to both local and international tourists.

She added that part of their strategies also was to take a cue from the perspective of the federal government through, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC).

"We have equally taken a step further in our determination to increase the vibrancy of our tourism sites with the concept of "Community-Based Tourism" (CBT), which is premised on taking advantage of specific tourism potentials in all local government or Local Council Development Areas across the State.

"We will also be assigning Tourism Desk Officers to some local government areas in the State as a pilot scheme in our CBT efforts. 

"These desk officers will serve as liaising officers between the community and the Ministry and assist in the discovery and documentation of indigenous tourism sites in these local government areas," she said

Similarly, Mr Fatai Oluwa, House Committee Chairman on Tourism, Arts and Culture said that although covid-19 pandemic affected virtually the global economy including the tourism sector, he assured that the Lagos State House of Assembly through its committee on Tourism, Arts and Culture would continue to provide enabling legislation to promote the tourism sector.

"We will provide direct support to the hard-hit tourism and travel industry, promote economic recovery and help increase public confidence as these industries look to reopen safely in the future.

"The committee will continue to advocate for policies to ensure our travel destinations and attraction centers make it through the effect of the pandemic and are ready to welcome visitors back as quickly and safely as possible.

Oluwa added that as part of reopening the economy and supporting the Stakeholders in the tourism sector, the

House of Assembly passed the Lagos State Tourism Promotion Agency Law, 2018 to help promote, market and develop the State domestically and internationally  as a major tourist destination.

Earlier in her address of welcome, Prince Adenike Adedoyin-Ajayi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture said due to the outbreak of COVID-19, it had become more compelling for practitioners and stakeholders in the tourism sector to design modern strategies that would be in sync with current realities. 

Adedoyin-Ajayi said the forum was conceived as a way of engaging tourism enthusiasts and promoters for the development and ratification of tourism plans and policies, putting into consideration both perspectives.

The Permanent Secretary noted that although the State Government since the outbreak of the pandemic, offered some sort of succour to the practitioners, she assured that the Ministry will not rest on these past efforts.

"We are very concerned about engaging our stakeholders further on what we have done in the past and how we can jointly do things even better as we move forward into the future".

Dr Adun Okupe, a Tourism Consultant, Red Clay Tourism Advisory and Faculty, Strategy Lagos Business School spoke on the Topic "Tourism Master Plan and Policy.

Okupe said there was need for a review of the master plan for tourism which was first developed between 2018- 2019.

"We are looking at creating opportunities within the tourism sector and tourism development that can lead directly to economic growth, socio cultural  and environmental development".

She said that the master plan focused on sustainability, adding that the domestic tourism is the way forward

She noted that to promote domestic tourism, Government  must have a targeted approach, they shouldn't involve in too many projects at a time they must harmonize whatever is being done with other parts of the country.

"Government should make sure that efforts are not being duplicated but learn to work together thereby leading to impacting lives positively.

Presentations were also made by some tourism scholars including

 Dr. Babatunde Olaide-Mesewaku a retired Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Bankole Bernard, and the Director General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation and one time Commissioner for Tourism, Arts & Culture of Lagos Mr. Folarin Coker. 

The Stakeholders Engagement which had in attendance the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Tourism, Arts & Culture Mr. Tunji Saymour, was well attended by key players in the industry including  Amb. Ikechi Uko, CEO Akwaaba African Travel Market, Otunba Ayo Olumoko Vice President FTAN, South West, Hon. Apata Samson Nunayon, Supervisor for Environment & Tourism Badagry Local Government, Princess Surah Olayemi Animashaun Supervisor for Environment & Tourism / APC flagbearer of Epe Local Government, Miss. Chiyenre Ibeabuchi, National Institute for Hospitality & Tourism, Lagos Campus among others.