By Okioma Amos, Yenagoa
Newly appointed Bayelsa State Commissioner for Tourism, Hon. Alla John has said he will collaborate with the Aridolf Resort Wellness and Spa, sector to build a robust visitor economy in the state, adding that collaborations and partnerships have become essential tools to achieve sustainable development in any tourism destination.
Hon. John, who stated this while exchanging views with the chairman, Board of Trustees of BRACED Tourism Promotion & Development Initiative (BTPDI), Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo in Yenagoa on Tuesday night, noted that the composite nature of the tourism industry, coupled with the multiple stakeholders involved in producing satisfying tourism experience and products make collaborations and engagement indispensable, adding that the tourism sector would always rely on joint efforts of all stakeholders to create the total tourism experience in a destination.
The new tourism commissioner said he would like to work with all stakeholders, including destination marketing organisations, tourism associations, small and medium-sized enterprises, residents, relevant agencies and departments, saddled with the responsibility of promoting tourism, local businesses, and visitors.
Hon. Alla John further noted that: “by regularly coming together to share knowledge, experience, and expertise with private sector operators, through public-private- partnerships, we can all work together to identify opportunities and challenges that exist in the industry, with a view to overcoming obstacles that may arise in the cause of developing the sector in line with global best practice.”
Earlier, chairman, Board of Trustees of BRACED (Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta) Tourism Promotion & Development Initiative, Dr. Piriye Kiyaramo, had emphasized the need for government to collaborate with communities to protect the environment and quality of life for residents, adding that: “We have to do this by way of sensitising the stakeholders to continue to remain a region with beautiful places to visit for generations to come.”
Dr. Kiyaramo, the immediate past Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Bayelsa State Governor on Tourism, reiterated the urgent need for the state Ministry of Tourism Development to put forth collaborative efforts to engage all stakeholders, including community folks with a view to evaluating the state of tourism development in the state, adding that one of the most important processes of tourism development was getting the buy-in of all stakeholders, including residents and tourism enterprises.
While expressing his organisation’s willingness to partner the state government to build a robust and resilient tourism ecosystem, Dr. Kiyaramo further stressed on the need for proper planning, research, data collation and evaluation as key factors, noting that making positive impact on residents and visitors alike would enable Bayelsa to continue to maintain its status as an emerging tourist destination in the South-South region.
“BRACED Tourism Promotion & Development Initiative, being a pioneer regional tourism destination management organisation, would stop at nothing in fostering a regional tourism framework to guide the development of tourism sector in the region. After visitors arrive at a destination, we have a responsibility to positively impact their behaviour.
“As critical stakeholders in the tourism industry in the region, we want to ensure that the South-South states of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta continue to thrive to see a rise in visitations,” Dr. Kiyaramo assured.
It would be recalled that through collaborations and meaningful engagements with stakeholders, relationships the public and private sectors would be enhanced for foster healthy partnerships (PPPs) with private entities and NGOs that would contribute to financing, management, expertise, deployment of technology, and other resources which would support the overall development of sustainable tourism in a destination.
The Commissioner for Tourism Development was accompanied by a former Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Bayelsa State Governor on Special Duties, Hon. Alex Akata.
