The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture held a two-day workshop to chart a roadmap for a viable and sustainable creative industry in the state. The event which was held between June 15 and 16, 2021 at Dover Hotel in Lagos was an interactive forum involving top government functionaries and stakeholders in the tourism industry.
Recall that the present administration under the watch light of its THEMES programme which is primarily geared towards a sustainable development strategy for the Lagos have initiated projects which is aimed at improving the lives of all Lagosians. Particularly, for the creative industry, the Lagos State government have partnered with leading practitioners in achieving its plans, one of which is the free film training in conjunction with Ebony Life.
During the two-days intensive workshop, the Ministry stressed on the need for close working relationship between hotel owners and tour operators. As part of the activities for the day, participants were divided into groups on the first day and each group made presentations on ways to move the tourism industry forward.
In a communique issued at the end of the two days programme, it was agreed that:
- Efforts should be geared towards fine-tuning our strategy that will showcase and sell “The Best of Lagos†to potential tourists who are desirous of finding the best experience of entertainment, fun and relaxation and value for their money;
- Strengthening and improving on innovation by offering authentic, affordable experiences also having packages that meet the needs of potential local travellers will play a pivotal role in achieving our intention to reposition tourism activities in the State;
- To Create tourism desks in all our local council areas where it will be easier for the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to take the inventory of the various tourism sites in these localities and put in place necessary plans and provisions for them towards developing domestic tourism;
- The Summit should hold quarterly in the Five Divisions of the State, driven by Stakeholders because it has proved to be a veritable platform for cross fertilization of ideas and the development of Lagos State’s position on Tourism growth and development;
- In view of the crucial role and contributions of Lagos State Tourism as the 3rd most visited tourism City in Africa, it is essential for all the Tourism Stakeholders to collaborate with the Ministry in order to make Lagos a choice destination for tourists;
- Explore Community Based Tourism by focusing on our Culture, Festivals, Heritage and further explore tourism sites to attract more tourist;
- The State Government’s focus on Tourism Infrastructure will be the quickest way to enhance the development and sustainability of Domestic Tourism;
- Reinforce what Lagosians already see and Scale them up. eg. Entertainment, Weddings, Owambe of all Kinds, Night outs, Beach activities and Religious Holiday activities to mention but a few:
- The focus on domestic tourism should expand the leisure economy, recognising that residents within the state also require leisure activities which in turn can then be made available to visitors and tourists visiting Lagos State;
- In an attempt to convert 20million Lagosians into Tourists, we need to draw a new picture, open new Vistas and reintroduce Lagosians to the real Lagos in order to change the narrative and retell the Story of Lagos;
- Take advantage of 20million Prospects.in order to boost Lagos economy thus making Tourism one of the major contributor to the revenue generation and GDP growth;
- Explore Eco-lodges, Luxury Beach Resorts, Watersports activities to enhance domestic tourism in all the Divisions;
- Make Conscious and Deliberate Efforts to grow Clusters in Lagos, Identify the Demographics that are suitable for each Cluster. Package Daycations and Staycations for Each Cluster and market to all the 20 Million People of Lagos;
- Make Lagos attractive for investment and connect with long term capital for long term investment needs;
- All Stakeholders should start working with schools, universities, organizations and also ensure that our deliveries present rich storylines that connect us with Lagos, its history, its potentials and how we fit into all of this. It is time for more harmonisation and deepening of Partnership relationships;
- Stakeholders should focus on the budget/economy and mid -scale segments – pricing as a key issue;
- Stakeholders should leverage on the strong educational opportunity embedded within tourism in order to expand our horizons and enhance our quality of life from the supply side of the industry;
- Spend more on harmonizing all the tourism sub sector to achieve a robust tourism destination for ultimate tourist experience.
