Olamide Francis
The Lagos State chapter, Federation Of Tourism Association of Nigeria, FTAN, has concluded all arrangements to hold its maiden edition, Lagos State Tourism Hospitality, Art and Culture Economic Summit, LATHACE 2021, at Eko Hotel, Lagos on March 25.
The upcoming LATHACE 2021 aims at addressing the needs of the tourism industry in the post-covid-19 era.
To achieve this, the dual-purpose in-depth program will attract practitioners in the private and public sectors to have a group discussion on possible way forward in accelerating tourism development growth.
According, to the FTAN Coordinator, Lagos Chapter, Mr. Gbenga Sunmonu, in a press conference with tourism journalists, Lagos, said that by doing this, Lagos State Ministries that relate directly with tourism, hospitality, arts, and culture will have their desks set up for interaction and dissemination of information on tourism, hospitality, as well as art industries.
Sunmonu said, “The program is the first of its kind with an objective to solve specific industry needs.
Explaining, he said that LATHACE 2021 would witness the presence of Governor, Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo Olu as the Special Guest of Honour, while Mr. Olaniyi Yusuf, Managing Partner for Verraki Partners, as Guest Speaker.”
He noted that the panelists will consist of the state Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, Chief Sam Alabi, among other dignitaries.
The program will be a hybrid summit, which will be both physical and virtual, it will be an inclusive program as all Agencies of government relating with all segments of the industry will be there and will have the opportunity of interacting with key stakeholders.
He stated that the Summit will create opportunities to solve any lingering issues with any Agency of the Lagos State government and open a new vista of relationship in moving forward.
He urged all concerned stakeholders to endeavor to attend the summit to brainstorm on ways forward for the industry.
In his remark, Otunba Ayo Olumoko, the Vice President, FTAN South-West zone, said that whatever happens in Lagos is usual the templates others are waiting for.
“The economic summit will be a practical aspect of what we need to do which government of the day of Lagos State will be expected to make some policy statements,” he said.
He noted the hospitality, tourism, and the entertainment industry have been most suffered and affected by the covid-19 pandemic. Otunba also said, that other State Chapters will emulate this summit and would enable the various stakeholder’s fashion a direction on the way forward for the industry.
He said that the summit was being organized at the right time, also prayed that after the summit the industry will not be relegated to the background.
