The State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hon Tonye Briggs Oniyide, has called on those in hospitality business to rethink and chart a roadmap for restarting the tourism industry toward a more effective resumption, recovery and resilience.
The commissioner made the call in her address to mark the World Tourism Day in Port Harcourt.
The World Tourism Day is celebrated on the 27th of September. The theme of this year’s celebration was: “Tourism for Inclusive Growth”.
The commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Monday Yeiimonah, reiterated that as countries gradually lift restrictions especially on travels and businesses, and tourism slowly restarts in many parts of the world, health concerns must continue to be top priority in the operations
She added that there was need to expand the frontiers of tourism investment beyond the traditional areas; harnessing and leveraging on the vast potentials and opportunities in the State.
She commended the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, for the support in the sector.
“Let me reiterate that as countries gradually lift restrictions especially on travels and businesses, and tourism slowly restarts in many parts of the world, health concerns must continue to be top priority in your operations. I urge you to put in place adequate and comprehensive health protocols to protect workers, communities and guests in compliance to State regulations on Covid-19.
“The administration of His Excellency, Chief(Barr) Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, considers very seriously the health and safety of all Rivers people and will not condone any act of negligence that could jeopardise the lives of the people.
“Furthermore, inclusive growth reflected in the theme, highlights the needs to expand the frontiers of tourism investment beyond the traditional areas; harnessing and leveraging on the vast potentials and opportunities in the State; bridging service gaps; exploiting new opportunities across vast tourism value-chains in eco-tourism, cultural festivals, wildlife, marine, indigenous cuisines, local fabrics, arts, parks and monuments, and landmark historical events; these should all be developed across communities in the State.
“Experiences in about the past 18 months of the pandemic, clearly show that active private sector participation is crucial to the survival, speedy recovery and resilience of the sector. I call on all investors in the sector to be more resourceful, innovative and to collaborate and leverage on every available opportunity to promote investments and speedy recovery of the sector. There is also the overriding need to digitalise the tourism economy to launch out into the global hub or endless possibility.
She appealed to the good people of the State to continue to project the traditional peace and hospitality for which the State and its people were known.
“Rivers state is known for its wide accommodation, friendliness, peace, traditional hospitality and mutual co-existence with its guests and neighbours. It is as well that there has not been any reported incident of unmanaged violence in the State as are often reported in some parts of the country.
“From the vast agricultural land resources of the upland region, to the roaring oceans, wetlands, and wildlife of the riverine; from the landmark bravery of our ancestors, to the rich cultural diversities of its people; from the rich oil and gas reserves across the length and breadth of the State, to the alluring beauties of the flora and fauna in their natural environment; these together sing of the glorious and endless opportunities and promising prosperity of Rivers native country home.
“Rivers State beckons on all sons and daughters, development partners, the business community, friends and well wishers to come and invest in the abundant natural and human resource endowments in the State.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Rivers State Tourism Development Agency, Yibo Koko, said the board focused on effectively engaging, empowering and creating people-centric community development tourism programs to secure cultural centric social investment activities that hinged on improving on overall well-being of stakeholders.
“In Rivers State Tourism Development Agency, we believe that Tourism is a driver of sustainable development and tourism increases economic growth, quality of life, environmental protection, preservation of culture and heritage.
“Therefore, we are focused on effectively engaging, empowering and creating people-centric community development tourism programmes to secure culture-centric social investment activities that are hinged on improving the overall well-being of stakeholders and members of our communities with the provision of sustainable, smart and socially inclusive programmes”.
He said the agency was responsible for promoting and improving sustainable tourism development in the state and was tasked by the state government to innovate, engineer and administer its emerging local, national and international tourism interests.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has had a massive social and economic impact on the global economy, both developed and developing economies have been hit. The world tourism organisation postulates that the restart of tourism will help kick start economic recovery and growth, stating that domestic tourism will return before international tourism.
“UNWTO has therefore designated World Tourism Day 2021 as a day to focus on tourism for inclusive growth. This is an opportunity to look beyond tourism statistics and acknowledge that, behind every number, there is a person”.