Lagos Set To Hold Tourism Summit Monday

FUNSHO AROGUNDADE

Former Ghanaian President John Mahama will be delivering the keynote address at the Lagos State Tourism Summit holding Monday April 16 in Lagos.

The former President will be making contributions alongside other stakeholders toward the state tourism master plan at the summit holding at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos with the theme: “Destination Lagos: Towards A Sustainable Tourism-Driven Economy”.

The State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Steve Ayorinde said the tourism summit is in pursuance of the Lagos State Government’s commitment to cause a major shift in marketing the tourism and creative potential inherent across the State.

He declared that the forthcoming summit is designed to provide useful content for the tourism roadmap that is poised to transform the vision of the State in becoming one of the foremost tourism destinations in Africa.

The Commissioner stated further that the summit aligns with Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s desire to invest in human capital and infrastructure in order to encourage creativity and promotion of great minds in arts, entertainment, culture and tourism in the State.

“The Summit will list out in specific terms the interventions that are needed in producing a masterplan that will assist in shaping the tourism sector in Lagos State in the next 15 to 20 years,” Ayorinde said.

He added that the commitment of the Lagos State Government to tourism and cultural promotion had been a deliberate plan derived from a visionary study of the population trend and analysis of what sector would better absorb the teeming youth population, reduce poverty and crime as well as create jobs with multiplier effects on other sectors.

Ayorinde revealed that the relevance of the summit is crucial to intimate key players in the tourism industry to the achievements of the present administration in same since inception, as well as engage them in determining the follow-up strategy to develop a master plan for the industry.

He disclosed that alongside the keynote address by Ghanaian Former President, Mahama, the summit will be enriched by paper presentations by renowned stakeholders in the tourism business, and panel discussions including Mr. Herbert Wigwe, MD, Access bank Plc; Ms. Mo Abudu, media mogul; Mr. Dapo Adelegan; Amb. Ikechi Uko; Mrs Omotayo Omotosho; and Nneka Isaac-Moses

The Commissioner averred that the gathering will provide a rare opportunity to engage with 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 industry.