THE Lagos State Government has said that the celebration of this year's World Tourism Day will conform with COVID-19 safety protocols, as plans have been concluded to restrict physical participation by stakeholders during the celebration.
The disclosure was made by the Honourable Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf at a technical meeting held in preparation for the event billed for Sunday, 27th September 2020.
Akinbile-Yusuf said: “Stakeholders at the meeting agreed that most participants at the event will join the celebration through Zoom platform and Facebook live stream by Lagos State Government, while a smaller number will join some high profile guests at the physical event taking place in Ikeja”.
The Commissioner, who emphasised the importance of physical distancing and adherence to all COVID-19 safety protocols during the meeting, stressed that the number of participants for the physical event will be reduced to meet the maximum number of persons allowed to converge in a location, while others can join via Zoom.
She added that the celebration will give room for various stakeholders in the tourism industry to discuss and explore the United Nations' World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) theme for this year's World Tourism Day which is “Building Peace, Fostering Knowledge”.
The discussion, according to her, would be led by a panel that is expected to come up with strategies to revive tourism in Lagos, after the negative effects of the pandemic, and proffer advice to bring about rapid recovery for the industry.
“The Panel of Discussants will include some of the past Permanent Secretaries and Commissioners of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. His Royal Majesty, the Oniru of Iruland, Oba Abdulwasiu Agbolahan Lawal will also deliver a goodwill message during the event”, she revealed.
She also emphasised the need to target grassroots participation across the five divisions of the State during the celebration, giving an assurance that tourism stakeholders would also be carried along in the planned activities for the event.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Babatunde Olaide-Mesewaku, informed the technical team during the meeting that, just as events all over the world are going virtual, it is expedient for Lagos State, being a model city, to tap into available technology in celebrating the event, disclosing that the State Government intends to partner with a competent private sector event organiser in order to deliver a world-class World Tourism Day celebration.