Tourism voice in Oyo State has ever been mute with little or no effort to strategically stimulate activities to attract tourists influx to its numerous tourism wonders that wow the world.
Even with the state history of having the city of the first ; Ibadan which can practically activate tourism value chain to create jobs, generate revenue and improve the infrastructural value of tourism with different city vibes, it still remains a hard sell for the private and public sector which craves for change in the industry.
However, the only jamboree you can point at in the past or recent time is the rolling out of drums to celebrate festivals locally packaged within the frame of a box without attracting the needed audience and event sponsors required to boost the trend and status to the next level.
Again, it is worth commending when Governor Seyi Makinde created a stand alone ministry for Arts, Culture and Tourism, an effort largely applauded from far and near with a new ray of hope to bringing tourism development and promotion back on track. However, it remains unfortunate that there is a missing link in the area of think tank to make it work. Who will bell the cat?
Governor Makinde’s singular effort to institutionalise a stand alone ministry is like a raw gold which needs different idea-driven individuals to run the value chain channels of the sector to make the ministry more pragmatic.
I have witnessed the era of Lam Adesina, the Adewolu Ladoja, the Alao Akala, Abiola Ajimobi with lip services accorded to tourism promotion and development without any sustainable project that can stand the test of time in a state that has the city of the first and other discovered and undiscovered wonders that can attract investment and create a masterplan to drive the tourism ideas.
This is Makinde’s turn, with the ministry of tourism and it is complimentary sector, as a good start. However, can the ministry run remotely without a policy structure, aims and objectives, expected goals and targets, human, material and funding? It’s a big NO.
Everything that has worked or that will work for tourism or any business, must have a breath of life in it and this helps it to be active and assist in creating activities that will attract what the Dubai, Paris and other tourism powers are enjoying today.
Tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry that works for the good of any government or country will to invest and harness its benefits. Oyo State has the capacity if well planned and implemented with round peg in round hole, driven by purposeful political will.
Dubai is one of the Emirates of UAE but it is blessed with a tourism outlook of a country; that is what purposeful investment policy and practical implementation bring to a government that really wants to reap from the dividend of practical tourism.
Oyo State may not be as rich as the so-called tourism super powers or states in Nigeria that are funding and benefitting from tourism, however, TravelpulseandMICE believes that embarking on a cluster tourism masterplan will help Governor Makinde execute a purposeful plan for tourism in the state to work and leave a manual for successive government to follow.
