The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, has disclosed that the state’s focus is on how to fashion out strategies for post-COVID-19 recovery and the development of domestic tourism.
She made this disclosure in a press release by Ayodele-Ayomileleyi Afuwape, Head, Public Affairs Unit, Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, when she hosted the Ambassador Ikechi Uko-led team from Akwaaba African Travel Market and Atqnews in Alausa, Ikeja.
She also disclosed that the State Government had concluded plans to join tourism stakeholders across the globe to celebrate the Year 2020 World Tourism Day (WTD) on Sunday, 27th September 2020.
The Commissioner told the visiting team that all the five divisions of the State would be involved in the celebrations of this year’s WTD as Lagos is targeting grassroots participation, assuring that tourism stakeholders would also be carried along in the planned activities for the celebration.
Responding on behalf of the delegation, Ambassador Ikechi Uko thanked the Ministry for hosting the team and stated that the purpose of the visit was to acquaint the Ministry with its planned activities for the forthcoming WTD celebrations.
He explained that the World Tourism Day is important to the Nation as it was a Nigerian, Late Mr. Ignatius Atigbi, who moved the motion to make September 27th the World Tourism Day.
Recall that ahead of the September 27th earmarked as the World Tourism Day Tourism, the UNWTO has identified as the sector as being central in empowering rural communities by providing jobs and preserving cultural heritage.
The 2020 edition of the WTD has been themed “Tourism and Rural Development” and is coming at a critical moment, as countries around the world look to tourism to drive recovery, including in rural communities where the sector is a leading employer and economic pillar.
