Why Lagos is seeking soft-landing for tourism industry amid pandemic
With the easing of the lockdown and travel restrictions in many countries, governments, corporate organisations and businesses are beginning to discuss recovery and post coronavirus business outlook.
Though the number of people who test positive to the virus is rising in Nigeria, government is now battling to curtail the spread, as well as, discuss measures that will aid quick recovery of the economy after the virus is curtailed.
Lagos State, which is the commercial hub of the country, is also beginning to engage tourism stakeholders in the state to map out strategies for the recovery of the sector.
The engagement with the stakeholdersisbecausethestaterecognized the importance of tourism and has seen its contribution to the economy.
In 2018, and for the second year in a row, trends and reports monitored by the Lagos State Government through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture over four weeks in December, especially during Christmas and New Year festivities, captured an estimated spending well above N50 billion in cash transactions, a record slightly higher than that of December 2017, which also recorded a good run in travel, entertainment and leisurerelated spending.
Though the ministry did not disclose the record for 2019, it is most likely higher than the 2018 record.
Moreover, the prevailing December trends showed an unprecedented footfall influx of more than three million people entering Lagos in December alone, Steve Ayorinde, the then Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, explained. If you sum the earnings from tourism in the state over a year, the revenue is impressive enough to encourage more investments in tourism in the state.
So, tourism has presented itself as the veritable platform for economy diversification in the state going by the huge revenue it earns daily and annually.
The impressive earnings and need to save jobs are top among the reasons Uzamat Akinbile-yusuf, commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Lagos State, has been engaging tourism stakeholders in the state to discuss ways to help cushion the impact of lockdown occasioned by coronavirus pandemic.
At a recent meeting with executive members of tourism associations in the state, the commissioner promised to inaugurate Covid-19 review committee as a measure to aid the recovery of the industry.
The six-man review committee is to draw out suggestions and recommendations on how to reactivate the state tourism industry, which has remained dormant as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic currently ravaging the world.
At the inauguration in her office at Alausa, Lagos, the commissioner explained that the committee would advise the state government on what to do to rejuvenate the state economy, particularly the tourism ecosystem.
Members of the committee include; Joke Silva as chairman of the committee, Patrick Donald Lee, Adun Okupe, Oyenike Okundaye, Gbenga Sunmonu and Atunyota Akpobome.
According to her, tourism sector is one of the worst hit by the pandemic because on a daily basis, Lagos records new cases and we must not shy away from the fact that Covid-19 is still with us.
“Everywhere is shut down. The airline operators are not operating, there is nothing like art exhibitions, ospitality businesses are on hold. So, we want to find a way to sustain our economy and the tourism industry, even with the pandemic and see how best we can continue to improve on the industry”, she said.
The committee is not for jamboree as the commissioner gave them tough terms of reference and tow weeks to submit their report.
The terms of reference for the committee include; conducting a holistic assessment of the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the industry and come up with a recommendation on the short and long term palliative with respect to soft loan and grants to assuage the negative impact of the pandemic on the industry.
It is also expected to refocus attention towards the development of the domestic tourism as immediate measure to revitalize the industry in thestateandtorecommendotherstrategic measures that will ensure post Covid-19 sustainability of the industry.
She also assured the stakeholders that the state is doing the needful to ensure that they get adequate value and support they need to recover fast and thrive once after the pandemic.
Bonu Saanu, special adviser to the Governor on Art and Culture, remarked at the inauguration that the state is looking at how to get back to the business of tourism and that those in the committee have the experience to bear on how to address post Covid-19 era in the state tourism sector.
While the review is a huge task, Joke Silva, chairman of the committee, said that the responsibility she was saddled with is a path towards repositioning the creative and tourism industry in the state, stressing that the members appointed to work with her would do the needful to achieve results.
“I have been very lucky with the members of the committee, because they are men and women who are very knowledgeable about the industry. Working together, they will be able to give suggestions on what could be done. The creative industry has been ‘devastatingly’ affected and we will get through it”, she said, while calling for suggestions from the stakeholders on how to move the industry forward.
However, the commissioner used the meeting platform to clear air over the lockdown of tourism outfits and activities, saying that the decision of the government to suspend all tourism-related activities, for now, was a painful one but also an indispensable move needed to control the spread of the virus.
“As a government, we realised that it is only when your businesses thrive that the economy of the State can be more vibrant which, would in turn, positively affect the IGR of the government. As a result of this, be assured that we would not take decisions that have negative impacts on your existence without due diligence”, she explained.