The Federal Government has called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to advance tourism as a key driver of sustainable national growth and development.
The Federal Government said tourism, if properly harnessed, has the potential to serve as a catalyst for economic growth, attract local and foreign investors, and stimulate entrepreneurship across communities.
Speaking in Ado-Ekiti during the official launch of the Visit Ekiti Project, Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, noted that tourism development plays a vital role in preserving cultural heritage and legacies, projecting Nigeria’s image on the global map, and promoting national pride.
He also underscored the importance of youth empowerment within the tourism value chain, noting that young Nigerians must be placed at the centre of the process to unleash their creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit.
The Minister reaffirmed the readiness of the Federal Government to collaborate with the Visit Ekiti Project to ensure that its core objectives translate into opportunities for the people, particularly the youth.
He described the project as a visionary platform to showcase Ekiti’s natural endowments, festivals, and cultural heritage to the world.
Olawande added that the ministry would collaborate with the Visit Ekiti Project on programmes such as cultural exchange opportunities, training in hospitality and tour management, support for youth-led start-ups in eco-tourism, among other areas.
In his remarks, the Lead Creative Director of the Visit Ekiti Project, Mr Ayo Ogunro, said the initiative was primarily designed to project the state’s tourism potential to both local and international audiences.
He noted that the project would serve as a platform to reintroduce Ekiti State to the world as a destination of choice for culture, heritage, and leisure.
He described Visit Ekiti as a strategic blueprint for economic transformation, saying it would not only attract investors but also harness Ekiti’s abundant natural resources and unique cultural assets for growth.
He said that the project has the capacity to create jobs, empower communities, and inspire entrepreneurship, particularly among the youth who are expected to play a central role in its execution.
Ogunro therefore called on investors, partners, and residents to support the initiative, stressing that the dream of positioning Ekiti as a leading tourism hub in Nigeria could only be achieved through collective commitment and shared responsibility.
The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Oyeniniyi Adebayo, said that with the Visit Ekiti platform, the state is open to the world for culture, adventure, and collaboration for business.
Adebayo, who was represented at the event by Mr Lawrence Elesin, said that the initiative is more like experiencing Ekiti, adding that apart from arts, culture, and tourism, the informal sector, such as transport, hotels, among others, would also benefit.
