Stakeholders including National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies NANTA, Hoteliers Association of Nigeria, Federation of Tourism Association of Nigeria FTAN , Nigeria Tourism Development Commission NTDC and others on Sunday joined Oyo state government to celebrate world tourism day 2020
The event which was the first edition of World tourism day to be hosted outside, Ibadan the state capital was use to explore the historical idere hill one of the mangificient tourism potentials in Oyo state
Onidere of Idere, Oba Kingsley Onikola Oyelami Olufiji I1 led the team round the historical sites which includes Onidere Old Palace, Fish Lake, Aroye Hill, Atapa Water, 600 Years Old Defence Wall. lyara Wall, Natural Swimming Pool and others
Apart from then tour, traditional dancers, Masquerades also thrilled the audience with electrifying music and dances
Hon Muraina Ajibola, a Federal lawmaker who was the chairman of the occasion said Idere Hills is one of the most beautiful natural landscapes in Nigeria Adding that Oyo State government in moving this event here to Idere Hills is demonstrating and symbolizing her commitment to the development of the tourism potentials of all the various parts of the state. We are happy that you chose Idere Hills first.
“Tourists from all over the world can be attracted here, if these sites are properly developed and presented to them. It is good we now have a governınent that appreciates the need to develop the potentials of Idere Hills as a tourist centre and we are looking forward to the improvements and the publicity necessary to put Idere Hills on the World Tourism Map.”
He said further that ” The COVID-19 pandemic is no doubt a serious global challenge to the tourism industry. However, it is also an opportunity. Even now that travel restrictions are being lifted, many of our people will not be too eager to renew their plans for family holidays outside Nigeria.For years, or at least until an effective vaccine is discovered, people will be reluctant to get on a plane for a distant destination just for the fun of it. This is an opportunity for us in Nigeria and Oyo State in particular to develop our recreational and tourist centres towards wooing those reluctant travellers to use and get to like the available facilities at home. They will in turn lead the global tourist community here when the pandemic is finally over.
” I hereby appeal to the Oyo State government that the initiative should start here at Idere Hills. It will be a big boost to the economy of our dear state and the drive to increase our
Internally Generated Revenue, IGR.
On a final note, I want to appeal to all our people here in Idere and in Oyo State at large to continue to support every initiative and effort of government towards the development of our state and her economy. We should also continue to live carefully, observing all the COVID-19 prevention protocols until the pandemic is fully over.”
The state commissioner for information culture and tourism Hon Wasiu Olatubosun said the decision take celebration of world tourism day to idere is to showcase local culture and promote domestic tourism
“Culture drive tourism we are here to showcase our culture and explorw the historical sites in Idanre hill for stakeholders in the travel industry and i am sure the influx of tourists into this historical and ancient own will improve
In a similar development, Special Adviser to Gov Makinde on Culture and Tourism, Hon Akeem Ademola ige said the state governor Engineer Seyi Makinde is committed to develop tourism in the state because he understands that contribution of the sector to the soci- economic development of the society.
“The Oyo State government under the leadership of Engr. Seyi Makinde is taking efforts to ensure that the state fully leverages tourism, by adequately promoting the potential of tounism
to create job opportunities and the unique role it can play to drive the economy for the overall development of our dear State.This is the reason why this year celebration is important to the Oyo State government
considering the fact that Oyo State has many unique natural and cultural heritage and monuments spread across many rural communities like the Idere hill in Idere town here; the
suspended lyake lake at Ado Awaye which happened to be the only suspended natural lake in
the world; the lyamapo hill at Igbeti among others.All these are capable of generating revenue for the State to drive its economy that we can tap into.”
The Onidere of Idere, Oba Aderoju Kingsley appreciated the efforts of the present administration in revamping the economic status of the State through what he called ‘ingenuity’, which he said have been having good results on the commercial growth of the State.
He called on the people of the State to give their support to the Seyi Makinde-led administration so that many more dividends of democracy could be accessed in the agriculture, health, education and tourism sectors
