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… As FTAN Says Bayelsa Has Capacity to Become Tourism Destination
The Bayelsa State government has expressed its preparedness to partner with the state chapter of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) to develop its rich tourism potentials.
This is as the coordinator of the newly inaugurated state FTAN executive, Mr. Ebikibina Iyoro, says the state has the capacity to becoming the tourism destination choice in the Niger Delta region, Nigeria and the world at large.
Dr. Iti Orugbani, the state commissioner for Culture and Tourism, made the declaration at the 43rd World Tourism Day celebrations in Yenagoa, the state capital, stated that government will ensure that a conducive atmosphere is created to encourage the private sector to develop the abundant tourism sites in the state.
With the theme: ‘Tourism and Rural development,’ the commissioner said the state ministry of Culture and tourism was ready to partner with FTAN to develop tourism in the state.
Noting that tourism cuts across all spheres of human endeavor, Dr. Orugbani challenged stakeholders to focus on tourism development. In this way, according to him, rapid development of tourism potentials in the state will be achieved.
“Tourism is something that could make life better if we have the awareness about tourism because tourism is all about making money.
“Stakeholders in the state should see it as a challenge to develop the rich tourism sites in the state. The ministry of Culture and Tourism is ready to partner FTAN to develop tourism in Bayelsa State,” Dr. Orugbani said.
Earlier
in his address, Iyoro, the state FTAN coordinator, who said
Bayelsa State has the potentials of becoming the tourism destination
choice in the Niger Delta region, Nigeria and the world at large, noted
that this could only be achieved if the state government will
encourage the private sector by creating the enabling environment.
Describing this year’s theme as appropriate and interesting, as it will inject development to the rural areas, Iyoro added that tourism will contribute significantly to poverty alleviation, as well as boost the economy of the people and state.
He pointed out that Bayelsa as a state endowed with aquatic splendor, the development of its tourism potentials will further enrich the state.
“If our ecotourism is developed to its full potentials it will be one in a million in this part of the world,” the FTAN Bayelsa coordinator said, stressing that the River Gambia most tourists visit is just the same thing as the Epie Creek in Bayelsa State.
“If developed, it’s going to be a beauty that will behold the eyes. Bayelsa State will become home of culture and tourism to all that love tourism in the world,” he added.
Also in his speech, Mr. Peter Ofuka, FTAN’s South South vice president, who lamented the devastating effect on the tourism sector of the COVID-19 pandemic, noted that the adverse effect spurred stakeholders to look inward and informed this year’s theme.
“We have to look inwards to tap our tourism potentials. Nigeria has the best tourism sites in the world,” Ofuka noted, and called on stakeholders to develop tourism sites in the country.
“We need to develop our tourism sites so that we won’t be traveling out again. We have a lot of these opportunities in our country. We should endeavor to create an atmosphere of one Village one tourist site. Tourism is the movement of people from one place to another and they spend money,” FTAN’s South South vice president noted
Stakeholders
who presented goodwill messages at the event included the acting
register, Bayelsa State Institute of Tourism, Dr. Ovienadu Torutein,
Prof. (Bishop) Prosper Ayawei, state representative, Platinum Energy Ventures,
partners in Tourism Bayelsa State, and a representative of the Nigerian
Immigration Service (NIS), among others.
Highlight of the event was the inauguration of the state executive council of
FTAN, and presentation of certificates.
