Why Lagos is prioritising religious tourism – Commissioner

The Lagos State Government through its Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has said it is prioritizing religious tourism because, spiritual healing comes along with exhibition and tourism and invariably rubs off on the state’s economy. 

The State Commissioner for Tourism, Art and Culture, Steve Ayorinde made the disclosure in Lagos while speaking on the State’s Tourism Master Plan.

He said the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode realized the potentials in religious tourism and has adequately captured it in the Master Plan. He noted that the government’s primary concern is to ensure that the infrastructure and enabling environment is created to drive tourism development in the state.  

Ayorinde who said the Tourism Master Plan would be ready by the end of May 2018, hopes to showcase the State as a major tourism destination to the world.

He said, the long term strategic master plan, which is being prepared by Messrs Ernst & Young, will focus on six sectors including culture and heritage, film, art and entertainment, business tourism, nature and adventure, medical and wellness, beach and leisure.

“If you look at the six sectors in broad terms, you will see that they have captured every area of tourism as far as business development and promotions are concerned. The interest of government is to develop the ecosystem of tourism, the practitioners, the tour operators everybody who has been involved over the years, will basically drive their businesses.

“But what government is interested in is to say that in the first two years after we have released the tourism master plan, what are the things that we need get done, what sort of policies should guise us, do we require any tweaking in the existing policies and programmes, who do we speak to, where do we seek money and who should we identify and those six pillars that our consultants have identified, frankly speaking has captured everywhere.

“Visitors, who come in for spiritual tourism, most times come for conferences, for spiritual healing and exhibition. It shouldn’t matter to the State what you have come for, what matters to the State is that visitors are coming, when they come, they see our city, they sleep in our hotels, they buy our foods, etc. So it’s all about tourism and entertainment,” the Commissioner said.