The management of Crispan Suits and Event Centre Jos, Plateau State, has lamented that the insecurity in parts of the state has reduced tourist inflow into the state, therefore affecting other aspects of the hospitality industry.
Speaking with newsmen in Jos, the General Manager of the Centre, Mrs Vetlana Alexandrovna, said the security challenges in Plateau are gradually taking their toll on the industry, adding that revenues have dwindled for hotels, resorts, and other related businesses.
She, however, frowned at a situation whereby the insecurity in the state is being projected by the media as it involves Jos, the state capital, adding that this has misled and scared a lot of tourists and investors from coming to Jos, the state capital in particular.
“We want people to know that Plateau State is not the way they see it in the media. Apart from the insecurity, there are a lot of good things about Plateau State that can be projected to the outside world. It is unfortunate that whenever there is a crisis in one or two local governments that are far from Jos, the state capital, it is often reported as if it happened in Jos.
“This is affecting our business; there are several instances where people who had booked suddenly cancel their reservations from Lagos and other parts of the country. We have a lot of reservations that have been cancelled because of this kind of report.
“Jos is no doubt one of the tourist destinations in the country; the atmosphere and the weather are good for relaxation, and most of the things here are natural and capable of promoting the hospitality industry,” he said.
The general manager who said Jos is safe said that apart from internal security arrangements at Crespan Suits and Events, the management often liaises with conventional security agencies to boost its internal security arrangements.
She said, “We are one of the biggest players in the hospitality industry in Plateau State. We work hand in hand with the security agencies; there are reports we send to them on a daily basis; there are thorough security checks before you check in here,” she said.
Alexandrovna therefore enjoined the state government to improve the infrastructure in the state and, as well, work out a modality on how to increase the number of flights from Lagos and other parts of the country to Yakubu Gowon Airport.
