FTAN To Collaborate With Oyo State Government On Tourism Promotion, Investment Drive
… Federation advocate for standalone tourism ministry, Seeks tourism
board membership
The Special Adviser on Tourism to the Oyo State governor, Hon Ademola
Ige has reassured the state’s determination to partner with the
Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria, in order to actualise
the tourism agenda of the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration of
Oyo State.
Speaking during the visit, Hon Ige, who was elated at the seriousness
of FTAN to collaborate with Oyo State Government on achieving its
robust tourism agenda said the visit will be an effective mechanism to
make the state’s tourism alliance bring rapid results.
He said the visit was indeed timely as it came when the state is
preparing for the 2022 World Tourism Day Celebration slated for
September 27. According to Ige “World Tourism Day is a special day set
aside by the state to celebrate and promote the rich tourism
potentialities the Oyo State is blessed with.
“Since the inception of our world tourism day celebration, we have
been making it a point of duty to carry the private sector along,
especially the members of FTAN and some of the people here can attest
to that fact as we have visited so many places together with the
promotion as our main mission and focus.
Ige who visited that all is yet not grand when you talk of tourism
development in the state said the state has a huge tourism resource
that can boost the economy of the state if more is invested in the
area of private and strategic collaborations.
The SA on Tourism to the Oyo State governor, who drew inference from
the call by the Vice President, south west FTAN, Mr Tunde Kolade and
MrTokunboDagunduro, who jointly emphasised on the need for a
stand-alone state culture and tourism ministry to give the industry a
pragmatic voice, saw it as a way for tourism to have a structural and
visible attention to effectively make a difference in the state
economy.
“It is true that we must separate culture and tourism from the
ministry of Information, to make it a full fledged ministry so that it
can take care of its core and allied tourism sectors with all other
value chain of the industry getting the right attention.
“We know tourism in some states has a separate ministry and things are
working well for them but that has not been operational here in Oyo
State. We are also looking at that direction, but you know there must
be a legislation to make that a reality and I think the house of
assembly has that jurisdiction we will work towards that. They have to
visit the laws establishing that sector and make amend to include
advocacy for a standalone ministry for culture and tourism in the
state.”
On the FTAN request for the inclusion of the federation members into
the state tourism board, the Special Adviser to the governor on
tourism said it necessary as this will give room for a round peg in a
round hole where the core stakeholders (experts on tourism advisory)
will be on ground to meet minds and share ideas that will guide the
government to actualise tourism goals for the benefit of the state.
“All these grey areas you have highlighted have been taken into
consideration and in turn I will see ways to discuss it with Governor
Seyi Makinde and I assure you that government will look into the
requests and get back to you on the state conclusion.”
Earlier, while setting the tone during the courtesy visit, the Oyo
State Co-ordinator for FTAN, Mr Wale Olapade, who spoke with great
optimism, highlighted the need for a public and private sector
alliance to effectively promote and strategically position the state
as the pace setter in tourism potentialities as well as creating
avenue of mutual benefit for the federation and Oyo state government.
Olapade who said that there are more to collaboration than just the
initial statement, called on the state to see FTAN as a partner in
progress in the agenda to give tourism its rightful pace as a money
spinner and job creation avenue that boosts the economic bid of
Governor Mankinde.
He reminded the state of the priority space Oyo state plays in the
nation tourism ranking, adding that the state has different first in
terms of tangible and intangible potential as well as manmade and
natural tourism sites to give it a standout place and called for a new
narrative to promote it.
He called on the administration of Governor Makinde to set the ball
rolling by creating a new narative for the state by using what the
state has to position the state globally, adding that Ado Awaye
suspended lake which being tagged as second in the world, is the only
natural site of such in the world while the western stereotype of
naming a mademan suspended lake in Colarado, USA as the first is a
wrong narrative, calling Oyo state to endeavor to take its rightful
place by telling its story itself.
“our story is better told by us because it is our abode and it is not
foreign to us so why should other rank us second when naturally we are
first and the record is there for everyone to see and crosscheck’, the
FTAN National PRO added.
Taking the baton from the state coordinator, the Vice President, FTAN,
South West, Mr Tunde Kolade commended the leadership style of Governor
Makinde, who has systemically given a soft landing to tourism value
chain industry through different positive development in the
transportation, road,aviation sector and other areas of economic
interest. He also advocated a standalone tourism ministry to give
tourism industry an enviable voice in the state.
He said that the purpose of the visit was to express desire to solicit
partnership with the government for the promotion of tourism sector in
the state so as to use their practical experience as core industry
stakeholders to meet mind with the state government on workable
tourism projections and programmes that will not only be economic but
also people-driven.
Kolade sought the state’s collaboration in the maiden edition of the
federation flagship regional festival, explaining that it is the first
of its kind and since Oyo State is a pacesetter in all ramifications,
FTAN South West sees the state as the rightful place to set tone for
the event.
The FTAN Coordinator for Osun State, Dr Tokunbo Dagunduro, who spoke
of candour, commended the SA tourism to Governor Makinde for his
down-to-earth devotion to the promotion tourism but said that much
cannot be achieved with his portfolio and called for the creation of a
separate tourism and culture ministry in Oyo State to effectively give
the industry a pride of place in the state economic ecosystem.
Also speaking during the visit, the Ondo State Coordinator for FTAN,
Erelu Funmi Rotiba, who commended Hon. Ige for his listening ears and
practical commitment said the SA on Tourism to Governor Makinde has on
different occasions, rallied support for deliberate visit to promote
different tourism sites in Oyo State and sees his zeal as genuine as
that of the governor in taking tourism to the next level.
Erelu Rotiba, who is also the Vice President Tourism, Industry,
Nigeria. Africa, Asia Chamber of Commerce (AACC), said there are a lot
of things Oyo State has to offer to the world if the tourism sector is
well coordinated, calling on the state to form alliance with the FTAN
to build a formidable private and public sector partnership that will
bring a new narrative to the development and promotion tourism economy
in the state.
“We need more involvement of the private sector in the tourism
business of the state so that we can strategically package the state
for a better tourists patronage in a way that it will positively tell
the story in our own way.”
The courtesy visit has in attendance the FTAN VP, South West, Mr Tunde
Kolade NANTA V P, South West, Otunba Tunde Adesokan, National P.R.O.
FTAN and Oyo Coordinator, Wale Olapade, Ondo State Coordinator, Erelu
Funmi Rotiba, Osun State Coordinator, Dr. Dagunduro Adetokunbo,
founder of the twins festival, Taiwo and Kehinde Oguntoye, CEO of
T.B.S. international, Captain Emmanuel Lordsgreat Oluwatobi, Adetoyese
Adeoye and the host and Special Adviser on Tourism to governor of Oyo
State, Chief AdemolaIge.
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