Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and the private sector tourism industry practitioners in the state had an interactive engagement last week. Also in attendance were other state government agencies that interface with practitioners.

The event, held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, focused on clarifying key state government policies for greater understanding between the private practitioners and Lagos State.

According to the commissioner for tourism in the state Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, the state sought to engage with industry stakeholders on the need for cooperation and collaboration on emerging trends and new challenges in the sector.

The commissioner said: “This gathering is long overdue, considering happenings in the sector and the need to always share views on how to improve and operate in line with acceptable best practices.”

The highlight of the engagement was the discussion segment where both agencies of the government and practitioners had an opportunity to talk about key government policy decisions that are affecting the growth of the industry in the state, most especially in the areas of taxes and levies.

Benson-Awoyinka said: “We must leverage on our collective strengths to build a robust and resilient hospitality sector. We will also have the opportunity to listen to some hospitality experts that would constitute a panel session of discussions today. In the same vein, some of your questions and agitations would be attended to from the government perspective while listening to our first panel made up of heads of agencies whose mandates relate to this important sector from safety to environment, to parking management and taxation. They would also be sharing their thoughts on how we can all synergize for a better hospitality sector.”

Earlier in the week, the tourism ministry had briefed the media on the activities of the ministry in the last one year. Among other things, the commissioner said the ministry had trained over 3,748 youths in creative skills and intended to train an additional 5,000 youths in the next three years.

She disclosed that the state government is currently in partnership with four different creative academies to enhance the capabilities of young creative practitioners in the state.

Benson-Awoyinka, who restated the state’s commitment to the tourism master plan, said it would continue to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive through collaborations with the private sector for a Greater Lagos.

She also urged stakeholders to partner with the government to build a legacy of cultural excellence that enriches lives, inspires generations, and leaves an indelible mark on the world.

The commissioner also said the tourism ministry is expecting to deliver the ongoing construction of the late Alhaji Lateef Jakande’s statue before the end of the month.

She said that, among other feats of the ministry, the state played host to the annual Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) in October last year.