By Taiye Olayemi

Mr Olugbenga Adebayo, Chief Executive Officer of Gadeshire Travel Company, on Tuesday called on the new Minister of Tourism, Ms Lola Ade-John, to re-evaluate the nation’s tourism masterplan.

Adebayo while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said this was neccesary to ensure the current realities in the industry were inculcated in the masterplan for the advancement of the industry.

He congratulated the minister on her appointment and advised on the need to work with industry players as tourism is mostly private sector driven.

“I congratulate the tourism minister on her appointment and advise her to look into Nigeria’s tourism masterplan and see how the previous documents can be merged with current realities of contemporary tourism.

“And as a matter of urgency, direct the implementation of various action plans  that are achievable.

“The minister needs to work with industry players and get involved with the industry activities so as to have swift understanding of the industry and have a first hand experience of what policies that can be of immense benefit for us as a nation and for all the stakeholders.

“There is the need for the minister to liaise from time to time with other allied ministries and agencies like Ministry of Culture and Creative Economy, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Aviation, Nigeria Immigration and more.

“Let there be a great synergy and great working relationship with all these allied agencies,” he said.

Adebayo expressed optimism that things would be different now that there is a stand-alone ministry for tourism.

He said this development was also a boost for Nigeria’s allied industry of culture and creative economy as well as entertainment, for having their own stand-alone ministry.

“We can now be rest assured that some of great policies that we have been pushing for proper implementation will have direct attention of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and somebody will directly be held accountable for every activity and operations of the industry.

“Tourism industry in Nigeria has suffered a lot of setback and the industry just needs leadership that can hit the ground running.

Adebayo reiterated the need for the minister to engage stakeholders across the tourism value chain for sporadic growth of the industry. (NAN) (nannews.

Edited by Folasade Adeniran