The Director General, Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism Development, Ambassador Wale Ojo-Lanre has said that Ekiti is now a tourist destination for investors.
Wale Ojo-Lanre, who spoke on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti during an interactive multicast radio programme ,”S’etigbo” noted that the government of Biodun Oyebanji has created an enabling environment for tourism to thrive in the state.
The DG emphasized that the formulation of a policy tourism master plan by the state government has aided the state’s overall economic development.
His words: “The Bureau was created by Governor Oyebanji for the overall development of tourism asset of the state. We have started on a very high level by creating the enabling environment.
“We formulated a documentation policy of Ekiti State that is been followed by the development of tourism masterplan. These are two important strategies we need to develop a sustainable development tourism sector in any state.
“The governor of the day is ever-planning for the sustainable development of Ekiti State. Most investors always come to Ekiti State as tourists. They come and think about investing here looking at the hospitality and security of the state.
“The economy is huge. Imagine 4000 people converge in Ekiti State for four days. They will sleep in the hotel, buy food, buy petrol etc because money will go directly to the people. This is the systematic way of tourism apart from people coming directly to tourism centres. When you have conferences, exhibitions, it brings a lot of people and the more money we have.”
According to Ojo-Lanre, the visionary leadership of the state governor led to the revamping of tourist destinations in the state to world-class standard.
“Governor Oyebanji is a deep thinker who understands the role of government in enabling, not controlling, enterprise. He believes government has no business running businesses, but should focus on supporting and partnering with them to thrive.
“Before he assumed office, Ikogosi was practically abandoned and forgotten. But upon resumption, through a visionary public-private partnership arrangement, he revived the iconic tourist site into a world-class destination that now attracts attention far beyond the borders of the state.
“Tourism is more than leisure; it’s a gateway to investment. Investors often come first as visitors or tourists to study the terrain, understand the people, and explore the prospects. Their decision to invest is often shaped by their tourism experience.”
“What makes the job seamless is the genuine collaboration and support we receive from traditional rulers across communities that host our tourist attractions.”