The Director of Sales and Marketing at Eko Hotels and Suites, Dr. Iyadunni Gbadebo, has decried the ranking of Lagos State by Forbes Advisor as one of the top ten most dangerous cities for tourists, noting that while some of the challenges are real, the report may not fully account for ongoing efforts by both the private sector and the government to improve these conditions.
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But, she warned also that ignoring some of the highlighted concerns could negatively impact the sector and stifle development.Â
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“It is imperative for the Lagos State government (if it does not already have one) to develop a 10-year tourism master plan with clear milestones and predictable economic outcomes. The plan, which will also require legislative support, will become the guiding compass for policy implementation in the sector,” she said.
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“The Lagos State tourism sector has the potential to attract $10 billion annually into the economy. To achieve this, the government must focus on creating an enabling environment, which involves a deliberate investment in infrastructural development and improving internal security. It must encourage more private sector initiatives and participation by offering incentives to foster collaboration. Such incentives can include a tourism fund that provides cheap and long-term funding to hospitality businesses.”
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Dr. Gbadebo emphasized that “collaborations with the media and various other stakeholders to deliberately shape the narrative around visiting Lagos and present a more balanced perception that highlights not only the challenges but also the attractions, experiences, and destinations, are imperative.”
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In a press statement she issued in Lagos Wednesday (today, August 14), the Eko Hotels marketing director called for a national re-orientation campaign to redeem Nigeria’s global image, urging the government to set up “a technocratic, informed, youthful, and intentional committee to propel better storytelling about our country and its people.”
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“Stories of our strength in numbers, education and the exposure of our people, highlighting the many Nigerians doing amazing things at home and abroad in medicine, music, movies, fashion, and even ministry” are imperative at this point in time, she surmised.
