The Nigerian Association of Journalists and Writers of Tourism (ANJET) has concluded a three day tour of Badagry with a pledge to engage more actively in the promotion of Nigeria tourism through familiarisation tours across the 36 states of the nation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The three days trip was made possible by the newly created Badagry Convention and Visitors Bureau with the former Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr. Ashamu Fadipe, as the chief executive officer and managing director of the bureau with a business mogul and owner of Fams Embassy Hotel and Suites, Fatai Shokunbi, as the chairman.
The tour afforded members of the group, who are all experienced travel journalists drawn from both the print and electronic media, including online, bloggers and independent content producers, opportunity to visit a number of the tourist attractions spread across the various communities, which made up Badagry, meet with some of the operators and facilitators of travel products and services, including traditional rulers.
Fadipe, who said his bureau is devoted to the promotion of Badagry as tourist destination for both tourism and other business enterprises, expressed delight for the honour of hosting ANJET under its auspices, adding that this would help in restoring confidence in the offerings of Badagry and attract more attention and visitors to the town.
He said the visit would greatly impact on the bureau and its activities and the community in the coming days because of the experience of the members and the wide outreach of the body, which he said has been signed on as a strategic partner by the bureau in the promotion of the community.
Fadipe further urged all state governments, including the federal government and various stakeholders in the tourism industry to engage the support of ANJET, has done by his bureau, in the promotion of the country’s tourism because ANJET is a committed body to the development and promotion of tourism in the country and that they have demonstrated this over the years and would continue to do so but needed more encouragement and support by the government and industry players.
On its part, ANJET commended the effort of Fadipe and his bureau in coming up with laudable ideas for the development and promotion of tourism business in Badagry, especially for his understanding of the important role of ANJET and engaging it as partner in the promotion of Badagry.
The travel journalists pledged to deliver on the promise of lifting up Badagry and promoting it as the destination of choice for both tourists and business, especially given the new economy of the community resulting from the discovery of oil (offshore) and the setting of deep sea port.
They further committed themselves to the continuous promotion of Nigeria tourism, calling on all the state governments, federal government and private operators to emulate the example of the Badagry Convention and Visitors Bureau, by formally engaging with ANJET through sponsorship of familiarisation tours across the country to enable them promote effectively the country’s tourism.
Picture caption:
Agie monument in Badagry, the first place where Christianity was first preached in Nigeria.
