By Frank Meke
Barely seven days to the official flag off the biggest global travel and tourism trade exhibition market, World Travel Market, (WTM) Lagos state may flag down its participation and presence due to certain hiccups in operational issues clearly not in tandem with its cultural tourism trade promotion ethics.
We heard on good authority that the state tourism authorities were taken aback by the poor and pedestrian positioning of the state in the Nigerian pavilion where it was handed a mere desk against the expectation and request made by state for a prominent position in view her intent to use a prominent pavilion allocation to market its huge cultural tourism offerings at the London exhibition coupled with the fact the the state governor Babajide sanwo-0lu may lead a delegation to add flip to the lagos participation.
My source described the arrangement made West African Tourism Organisation ( WATO), which allegedly is handling the Nigerian pavilion as degrading and unbefitting for a hugely gifted cultural tourism state like lagos, hence the state is reconsidering its participation and may outrightly pull out of global event if wato fails to heed to the position of lagos tourism authorities.
” Lagos is angry and is not happy at being seen to be done a favour by the organiser of the Nigerian stand which hid the state under a mere desk while a local airline and a travel trade Operator( names withheld) flourish the Nigerian stand. Lagos tourism authorities are miffed by wato’ s indiscretion in positioning lagos in an inappropriate manner and may outrightly cancel their participation to avoid embarrassing their governor who is expected to be at the event to further woo and invite international visitors and trade groups to visit the state of aquatic splendour in Nigeria adjudged as Africa’s leading emerging business and tourism destination in Africa.
Calls and WhatsApp
messages sent to Lagos Commissioner of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs TOKE Benson Awoyinka was not answered. Also, an attempt to reach wato representatives in Nigeria was fruitless .
Nigeria’s former Minister of Tourism, Mrs Lola Ade John, who initiated the process, was sacked by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu last week for poor performance in office and therefore effectively will not be leading the official Nigeria delegation to WTM
Instructively, Nigeria will be without a head of delegation since Ade John was relieved of her duties as Minister of Tourism, a development that puts the Nigerian participation at wtm in disarray. It is also no longer news that tourism was merged with culture, which also has no minister officially announced to hold forth for the new entity.
Industry observers who spoke with me but do not want their names in print, bemoaned the poor preparation of the country for such a class global travel trade event, wondering when Nigeria Tourism would be wake up from slumber and be serious.
Consequently, we further learnt that by next year, Lagos state may decide to take its promotion and marketing appearance at wtm on its own strides to avoid being messed up and also with intent to push its huge huge cultural tourism brand through a well a positioned and decorated pavilion where visitors and trade operators can mingle freely without inhibitions.
