Our Reporter
The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Culture, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, has revealed that the face of tourism in Lagos State is up for a drastic change as the state holds its summit.
The Commissioner said the summit with the them,” Destination Lagos: Towards A Sustainable Tourism-Driven Economy” the state will bring forth the potential and ensure that the sector becomes a major source of revenue.
The summit is scheduled to hold on Monday 16th April, 2018 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
While briefing the media on the relevance of the summit, the Commissioner revealed that summit is crucial to intimate and integrate key players in the tourism industry to achieve a prosperous initiative as the State journey into the tourism world to compete with developed cities.
‘’The summit will list out in specific terms the interventions that are needed in producing a master plan that assist in shaping the tourism sector in Lagos State in the next 15 to 20 years’’
He disclosed that it has been a deliberate plan derived from a visionary study of the population trend and analysis of what sector will better absorb the teeming youth population, reduce poverty and crime as well as create jobs with multiplier effects on other sectors.
Affirming the significant of the event, the Commissioner stated that encouraging existing practitioners and stakeholders with institutional support and sustaining positive hope of investors in the sector needs a more concrete rejig in line with global best practices.
‘’The idea of the Lagos Tourism Summit therefore, is part of the inclusive agenda to allow all stakeholders contribute to the ongoing tourism master plan being put together by Messrs Earnst and Young on behalf of the Lagos State Government.
He further disclosed that the summit deliberation will be enriched by paper presentations by renowned Stakeholders in the tourism business; panel discussions and a Keynote Address to be delivered by His Excellency, Mr. John Mahama, the former President of the Republic of Ghana.
The gathering will provide a rare opportunity to engage stakeholders, professionals, leading academics and scholars, researchers in the tourism, culture, arts and entertainment industry, local and foreign media practitioners to debate, exchange ideas, deliberate and chart a way forward for Lagos tourism, he added.
In addition, besides the main theme for discourse at the summit, other relevant topics to be deliberated upon include; Exploring the Lagos Tourism Eco-system for greater Economic and Social Benefits, financing tourism: the path and possibilities for Lagos State; and M.I.C.E, Creative Content as Tourism Industry panacea, he said.
He however enjoined all relevant stakeholders to join the state government effort and contribute to the discourse on tourism to achieve the desired objectives.
Speaking at the briefing, a representative of Ernst Young, Mr. Adewale Adereti stated that the strategic intention of developing and transforming tourism, culture and entertainment in the State requires input from relevant individuals and as such a summit is critical to fill existing gaps from stakeholders.
Mr. Adewale disclosed that as a visionary and committed leader, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is developing a robust tourism industry that will outlive the current administration and place the city in the summit of tourism destination.
He added that the summit is expected to witness leaders of industries, investors, opinion leaders and other stakeholders exchanging ideas on ways of enriching and exploring the potentials of the State tourism industry.
