… To Prioritise Ecotourism, Agritourism, Film/Art Tourism as Core Areas of Focus
Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri has hinted of plans by his administration to focus attention on ecotourism, agricultural tourism and Film/art tourism, noting that the potential in these three areas will be harnessed to stimulate the local economy and promote the rich cultural heritage, and thus enrich travellers’ experiences in Bayelsa State.
Governor Diri, who spoke through his Commissioner for Tourism Development, Hon. John Alla, at the just concluded Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) non elective 27th Annual General Meeting, held in Abuja on Tuesday, maintained that: “We want to focus our attention more on our ecotourism potential.
“We intend to concentrate on ecotourism because by promoting eco-tourism, we would be able to promote responsible travel practices, support conservation efforts, and contribute to sustainable development.
“Also, by promoting art tourism, we can leverage the power of art to drive economic growth, cultural enrichment, and community development, with a view to providing unique and enriching experiences for our visitors and residents alike. By promoting film tourism, we would leverage the appeal of movies and TV shows to attract visitors, drive economic growth, and promote our rich cultural heritage. Film tourism would involve local communities, creating jobs while at the same time promoting the culture and traditions of our people.
“Film tourism would offer us opportunities to market and brand our destination, increase our visitor numbers to benefit local businesses, and stimulate the local economy. Promoting film tourism will help us to preserve history, identity, and cultural significance.
“Agricultural tourism promotes farm-to-table experiences to reduce food miles and enhance food security, supporting local food systems, while keeping resources within the community. It demonstrates sustainable farming practices, contributing to long-term food security, often supporting small-scale farmers to improve their livelihoods and food security.
“We intend to use agricultural tourism to educate our visitors and locals about our food production, processing, and distribution methods while raising awareness about food security. Agricultural tourism provides us the opportunity to diversify farm income and reduce dependence on single crops and enhance food security in a bid to contribute to rural development, and address poverty and food insecurity at the same time.
“I can assure you that agricultural tourism fosters community engagement, building relationships between farmers, consumers, and stakeholders. It supports food sovereignty, allowing communities to control their food systems and ensure food security. By promoting agricultural tourism as a state, we can support food security, sustainable agriculture, and local communities, contributing to a more resilient food system,” the governor reiterated.
He commended the tourism federation for carefully choosing the theme of the 27th AGM: ‘The Role of a Private Sector in the Development of Tourism in Nigeria,’ describing the event as very remarkable and rewarding. He noted that the Annual General Meeting which brought stakeholders from across the country and beyond created opportunity for networking among stakeholders.
The High Commissioner of the Republic of Botswana to Nigeria, Philda Nani Kereng, and former Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism was the keynote speaker at the AGM.
Dignitaries that graced the annual general meeting include National President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), Mr. Nkereuwem Onung, President of Tourism Federation, Benin Republic, Monsr. Bouraima Mouinou Dine, Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade-John, represented, Minister of Sports, John Owan Enoh, represented, Director General of Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), Otunba Folorunsho Coker, Director General of National Institute for Hospitality & Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Nura Kangiwa, Director General, SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Okeke, Members of FTAN Board of Trustees and other key stakeholders.
The AGM featured educative panel sessions, with panellists comprising technocrats from the tourism sector and government ministries, departments, and agencies.
