Hotels and event centres
in Osogbo have started rehabilitating facilities ahead of Osun Osogbo Festival billed for August, The Tide reports.
Chief Jimoh Buraimoh, a member of the organising committee and a frontline culture enthusiast, told The Tide that there were indications that more tourists would converge on Osogbo during this year’s festival.
Buraimoh, who is also the proprietor of Heritage Hotel, Osogbo, said, “It becomes necessary for us to give the hotel a facelift to give visitors a good impression.
“I was part of the team that met with interested corporate sponsors of the festival in Lagos on Tuesday, and I can tell you that the response is encouraging.  It is also on good authority that the Public Broadcasting Corporation from the United States of America is interested in being part of the coverage of the festival,’’ Buraimoh said.
He said that a number of foreigners, who are devotees of Osun Osogbo, were already trickling into the town ahead of the festivities.
Ayobami Adedeji, who owns a hotel in Osogbo, told  The Tide that he had started preparing for increased patronage.
“We are concentrating on the outlook of the hotel, as well as getting set to prepare local dishes for visitors who are interested. The varieties of African dishes that we have in Osun are major attractions to Nigerians from other parts of the country and even foreigners,’’ Adedeji said.
Mr Iyiola Olaniyan of Hezzy Resorts, Dada Estate Area of Osogbo, also said that he would renovate the facility in anticipation of increased patronage.
“Whatever money spent in preparing ahead of great festivals like this, we are sure of recouping it,’’ Iyiola said.