Oyo state government urges workers to promote Tourist Centres

The Oyo State Government has urged top civil servants to pay attention to the tourism values and promote the over 450 tourist centres across the state affirming that tourism could be used to boost the economy through employment, empowerment and income generation as the state is endowed with various tourist sites.

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The Chairman, Oyo State Tourism Board, Debo Adejumobi, made the appeal during a one-day interactive session and domestic tourism awareness campaign held for top civil servants in the state in Ibadan, the state capital.

During the campaign tagged: “Know Your State, Enjoy Your State, and Promote Your State”, Adejumobi said it is pertinent for civil servants to be aware of domestic tourist sites in the state.

He noted that for tourism to develop in the state, there is need for various stakeholders, such as civil and public servants to spend time often in their locality for leisure, short holiday or entertainment.

Adejumobi stated: “Oyo State is ably endowed with various unique tourism potentials scattered over its nooks and crannies. Despite the beautiful sites and monuments, most civil/public servants remain unaware of most of the sites, their locations and also importantly their tourism values.

“The economic multiplier effect of tourism can create employment, empowerment and generate income, domestic tourism and equally increase the flow of visitors to local tourism attractions, boost trade and commerce especially within the immediate locality of the site,” the chairman asserted.

The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Tourism, Ademola Ige, equally appealed to tourism operators and other stakeholders in the industry to key into the Oyo State Government’s policy to promote the over four hundred and fifty tourist centres in the state.

Also speaking, the Head of Service, Mrs Ololade Agboola, urged civil servants to familiarise themselves with the tourism centres in the state to attract local and international tourists.

Agboola, who spoke through the Permanent Secretary, Service Matters, Mr Babatunde Adeyanju, called on relevant stakeholders in the public service to ensure patronage of tourist sites within their locality.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Oyedele Oyesola, said the sensitisation programme was aimed at promoting tourism in Oyo State.

“We want top civil servants to know our tourist sites in Oyo state and also visit them. We are embarking on a rigorous sensitization for our people on reasons to relax,” Oyesola affirmed.

S.S