By Segun James
As part of plans to diversify its economic base, the Lagos State Government has expressed determination to make the state the next tourism destination in Africa, given the plans of the state government for the sector.
The state Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, disclosed this while briefing journalists on the activities of her ministry in the last two years.
Akinbile-Yusuf said the development of a Tourism Master Plan that would serve as a pathway for the implementation of every tourism activity in the state is ongoing, adding that the document, when completed, would change the narrative in the state tourism sector and ensure uniformity of government programmes, plans and policies in the development of tourism.
She described the document as a worthwhile achievement by the administration of the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in two years ago, in addition to other tourism infrastructures being put in place simultaneously in different parts of the state.
The Master Plan, the commissioner further said, would eradicate the era of haphazard development of tourism activities in the state as witnessed in the past.
According to her, “There will now be a structured guideline that must be followed for short, medium and long term tourism activities and projects.
“Apart from this, some other areas of tourism activities that have not been given attention before have now been captured in the Master Plan, and this will engender all-round development of every aspect of tourism in the coming years.”
She explained that more attention would be given to the development of the state waterfront for tourism purposes under ‘Beach and Leisure’ captured in the Tourism Master Plan, and the exploration of medical tourism focus on Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibition (MICE) among others.
Akinbile-Yusuf said: “We have equally identified the business side of entertainment and tourism. Beyond using tourism and entertainment as a vehicle for fun; relaxation and social integration, entertainment and tourism remain the major source of income generation for different countries and cities of the world, and we will also leverage on this aspect to boost the state internally generated revenue (IGR
