By ebosele@hotmail.com –
The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has reiterated its commitment to strengthening collaboration with private-sector operators to drive the growth of tourism and hospitality in the state.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Bopo Oyekan-Ismaila, stated this when she received a delegation from The Festival Hotel, Conference Centre & Spa on a courtesy visit aimed at exploring areas of collaboration and strengthening partnerships within the tourism and hospitality sector.
Oyekan-Ismaila reaffirmed the Ministry’s readiness to work closely with industry stakeholders to improve service standards, promote Lagos’ tourism offerings and position the state as a leading tourism destination in Africa.
She assured the hotel of the Ministry’s support for initiatives that contribute to the development of the tourism ecosystem, while urging its management to maintain high standards of service delivery and embrace global best practices.
The Permanent Secretary also emphasised the growing importance of digitisation and emerging trends in the tourism industry, encouraging hospitality operators to adopt innovative solutions that would enhance visitors’ experiences.
“Let visitors who come to Lagos have a good experience that would bring more visitors through their experiences to the hospitality sector in Lagos State,” she advised.
Speaking on behalf of The Festival Hotel, the General Manager, Mr. Olusola Fasoro, said the visit was to seek the Ministry’s support and explore areas of partnership in the development and operations of the hotel.
Fasoro described The Festival Hotel as a four-star hospitality facility and expressed the management’s desire to collaborate with the Ministry to enhance the hotel’s visibility and contribute meaningfully to the growth of tourism and hospitality in Lagos.
He also sought the Ministry’s guidance and support in areas that would enable the hotel to play a more active role in advancing the state’s tourism development agenda.
In attendance were the Director, Administration and Human Resources, Mr. Taoreed Dosumu; Director, Hotel Licensing Department, Mr. Sheriff Azeez; and other senior management staff of the Ministry.
Representing The Festival Hotel were the Head of Sales and Marketing, Mr. Celestine Ekweme, and Key Account Manager, Mr. Nnamdi Onyemepu.
