LAGOS MARKS 2025 WORLD TOURISM DAY WITH CALLS FOR COLLABORATION, COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT (PHOTOS)

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By: Sefiu Ajape

…As Stakeholders highlight tourism’s role in economic transformation, legal reforms, and community development

The Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, in collaboration with the Nigeria Association of Tour Operators (NATOP Southwest Zone) and the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN Southwest Zone), on Saturday hosted the 2025 World Tourism Day celebration at Tarkwa Bay Island, Lagos.

Themed “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation,” the event brought together government representatives, tour operators, private stakeholders, and community leaders to reflect on the role of tourism in driving social and economic change.

Speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor on Tourism, Arts and Culture, Damilola Ayinde Marshal, said the celebration was about more than just leisure.

“Today we don’t only celebrate tourism. We celebrate travel, we celebrate a whole lot of things that tourism has brought together,” she said, thanking stakeholders for supporting Lagos’ vision of a thriving tourism sector.

In her remarks, President of NATOP Southwest Zone, Bolaji Mustapha, emphasized the importance of promoting local destinations, noting that the association deliberately chose Tarkwa Bay to align with the state’s ongoing push to showcase its waterways.

“We saw that Tarkwa Bay is one of the most organised beaches in Nigeria. That’s why we’re here today to identify their challenges and to train the communities on how to receive tourists,” she said.

She urged Nigerians to explore local attractions before traveling abroad, stressing that tourism could transform the economy just as it has in Kenya, Morocco, and South Africa.

Also speaking, the Chairperson of the NBA-SBL Travel, Tourism, and Hospitality Committee, Chinenye Oragwu, underscored the role of legal and policy reforms in tourism development.

“We look at existing laws and see where the gaps are and make proposals to the government so that we can have good laws that stand the test of time,” she explained.

Citing the facelift of Olumo Rock in Ogun State after legal advocacy, she stressed the importance of government listening to stakeholders.

“A government that listens is very important. We as private stakeholders have to keep talking, and when government is involved, real development that promotes tourism happens,” Oragwu added.

The celebration featured community engagement, training sessions for Tarkwa Bay residents on customer service and hospitality, as well as renewed calls for collaboration between government, private operators, and host communities to strengthen tourism in Nigeria.

The event, hosted by the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, highlights Lagos’ commitment to positioning tourism as a driver of sustainable development, job creation, and cultural preservation.