Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode is ever receptive to innovations in driving and achieving optimum development in the state, especially in the creative industry, hospitality management and the entire tourism value-chain.Â
The State Government realised early that tourism is one of the pillars of the creative economy, which could turn the IGR of any country around and this is why the Lagos State Government is determined to use the creative economy for revenue generation, outside oil and gas.Â
The state, therefore, will deploy innovation, technology and globally tested resources to achieve its goal in marketing her tourism assets. Â
This is part of the reason the state is putting together a 15-year tourism master plan alongside other innovations.
This was disclose recently by Mr. Steve Ayorinde, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture when the promoters of Tourism Innovation Development Advantage paid a courtesy call to his office to seek the support of the Ministry for its forthcoming conference on virtual tourism marketing.
The commissioner affirmed the support of the Lagos State Government for the hosting of the 2018 ‘tida’ conference and the launch of virtual tourism device for tourism promotion in the state.
The endorsement, according to Mr. Ayorinde is purely hinged on the fact that the innovation aligns with the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in the use of technology to drive business and leisure visitors to Lagos State and further expand the market for the consumption of made in Lagos creative ideas, products and services.
Speaking through its leader, Mr. Femi Lawson, the ‘tida team said the choice of Lagos State for the launch of the device was borne out of recognition for the position Lagos State occupy as the emerging tourism hub of the nation and the large tourism market available for exploration in the state.
He said ‘tida’ was set for development of ideas that would add value to tourism promotion through Tourism Insurance,  Infrastructural tourism and the virtual tourism device that would help to market Nigeria tourism potentials domestically, and help to increase the traffic of international tourists into the country.
In his welcome remark, the Commissioner said the 2016 hospitality income index reflect a gross increase as a result of the various entertainment events and show, especially the eight day One Lagos Fiesta (OLF) of which the economic benefits cut across institutions in the creative and entertainment sector.
He said the State is aligning with the virtual tourism technology to communicate to Lagosians the experience and the fun available locally rather than go overseas.
On the proposed release of Lagos Tourism Event Calendar, Mr. Ayorinde said the idea would help tourists plan their movement around the major tourism events that would happen in Lagos this year. Business and leisure travelers with the aid of the event calendar can explore the beauty of Lagos and take away something memorable during their visits.Â
He said prior to the release of the Lagos State Tourism Master Plan, the Ministry would convene a tourism summit for operators in the tourism space to share ideas and collaborate to achieve a private-driven Lagos master plan which would provide the template for any government to work with. As part of the reengineering to be introduced in the new plan, the State government is looking at the possibility of setting up a Tourism Promotion Council to regulate and drive tourism affairs in the State.
Present at the meeting are the Special Adviser to the Governor on Arts and Culture, Mrs. Aramide Giwanson, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Fola Adeyemi and the Director, Tourism Promotion, Mrs. Oni Adama.
