Lagos State government is set to play host to African Tourism Ministers and other delegates attending the on-going 61st meeting of United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s Commission for Africa currently holding in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
The Ministers’ “technical visit” to Lagos State according to a statement released on Tuesday by the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, will take place on Wednesday 6th June 2017.
Nigeria won the bid to host this elite gathering of African tourism policy formulators and regulators and Lagos State, being a leading tourism haven in West Africa and a key partner of the Federal Government in hosting the meeting is the only other state playing host to the visitors aside from the Federal Capital Territory.
The delegates visiting the State will comprise Ministers of Tourism from African countries; top executives of United Nations World Tourism Organisation; heads of Tourism promotions agencies as well as tourism and travel stakeholders across the African continent.
According to the release, the team will pay a technical visit to Eko Atlantic City to witness the ongoing transformation of the waterfront area into an entirely new smart city with abundant business and tourism prospects.
They will also have a tour of Freedom Park on Broad Street and a few other tourist attractions in the state in addition to their courtesy visit to Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.
The delegates from the foremost global tourism body will be led on the visit by Mr. Zurab Pololikashvili, UNWTO Secretary-General, and Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed.
Ayorinde said the visit by the African tourism ministers and other delegates to Lagos State was another golden opportunity to market the state to the world and to express commitment to the initiative that Africa must first appreciate and promote its beauty through domestic tourism before the rest of the world can celebrate it.
– Lateefah Ibrahim I VON
