*PLATEAU STATE TOURISM INDUSTRY MOVING TO THE NEXT LEVEL UNDER THE TOURISM GOVERNOR. RT. HON. SIMON BAKO LALONG, AS IT IS BEING NAVIGATED TO ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE BY THE HON. COMMISSIONER, MRS. TAMWAKAT WELI.*
Following the Declaration of State of Emergency on Plateau State Tourism Sector in November 2018, by Governor Simon Bako Lalong during the 1st ever State Tourism Conference; Encouraged by the laudable commitment of the Governor to reposition the Tourism Industry, the Hon. Commissioner immediately constituted and inaugurated a Technical Committee to draft a Tourism Policy for the State. The Committee however, worked assiduously and produced the draft which was Publicly Presented and discussed with Stakeholders on Tuesday April 9th 2019 at Hill Station Hotel, Jos.
The draft Policy Meeting/discussion was well attended by all critical Stakeholders from Top Government Functionaries, MDAs, Tourism Professionals, Educational Institutions, Private Institutions/Organizations, Security agencies, Traditional Institution and the Media.
The Hon. Commissioner via her Speech, first thanked all critical Stakeholders for answering the clarion call to come out and give inputs and make observations on the draft Tourism Policy. She described with sadness the Situation of the Tourism Sector in the State and especially the absence of a well formulated State Tourism Policy which should drive the orderly development of the Tourism Industry of the State. She further stated that the State is so blessed with enormous, abundant resources and Potentials for Tourism Development, yet these Potentials are largely untapped and some haphazardly developed. She also said, this is not a healthy position for the sustainable development of Tourism in the State, considering the State's Status as the number one Tourism State in Nigeria, and considered the most preferred destination for Tourists.
She appreciated and thanked the Executive Governor of the State for his commitment and desire to reposition the Tourism Industry for the Socio-economic Development of the State. She also described his approval to Produce the 1st State Tourism Policy as yet another Milestone Achievement in the Rescue Administration.
While commending the Hon. Commissioner for her Achievements in the Ministry so far, Hon. Nyam Dareng, Chairman, Plateau State House Committee on Tourism amongst others, described the Hon. Commissioner as a pace setter, anchoring on the fact that she has come with a different mindset to change the narrative in the Tourism Industry of Plateau State, which has remained hungry of such a proactive and a gigantic step since its existence. The Hon. Member in his own words *Hon. Commissioner Ma, you have scored another 1st again, First to organize Tourism Conference and First to draft a Policy for the State Tourism Sector, are we expecting first yearly?*. He commended the Hon. Commissioner for Standing out and doing that which is critical to the growth and development of our dear Plateau State.
At the end of the Program, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry/Chairman Tourism Policy Committee Mrs. Martha Azi, thanked all the Stakeholders for finding out time to come and contribute towards the production of a robust Tourism Policy for the State that would accelerate growth in the Tourism Industry of the State.
Following the Declaration of State of Emergency on Plateau State Tourism Sector in November 2018, by Governor Simon Bako Lalong during the 1st ever State Tourism Conference; Encouraged by the laudable commitment of the Governor to reposition the Tourism Industry, the Hon. Commissioner immediately constituted and inaugurated a Technical Committee to draft a Tourism Policy for the State. The Committee however, worked assiduously and produced the draft which was Publicly Presented and discussed with Stakeholders on Tuesday April 9th 2019 at Hill Station Hotel, Jos.
The draft Policy Meeting/discussion was well attended by all critical Stakeholders from Top Government Functionaries, MDAs, Tourism Professionals, Educational Institutions, Private Institutions/Organizations, Security agencies, Traditional Institution and the Media.
The Hon. Commissioner via her Speech, first thanked all critical Stakeholders for answering the clarion call to come out and give inputs and make observations on the draft Tourism Policy. She described with sadness the Situation of the Tourism Sector in the State and especially the absence of a well formulated State Tourism Policy which should drive the orderly development of the Tourism Industry of the State. She further stated that the State is so blessed with enormous, abundant resources and Potentials for Tourism Development, yet these Potentials are largely untapped and some haphazardly developed. She also said, this is not a healthy position for the sustainable development of Tourism in the State, considering the State's Status as the number one Tourism State in Nigeria, and considered the most preferred destination for Tourists.
She appreciated and thanked the Executive Governor of the State for his commitment and desire to reposition the Tourism Industry for the Socio-economic Development of the State. She also described his approval to Produce the 1st State Tourism Policy as yet another Milestone Achievement in the Rescue Administration.
While commending the Hon. Commissioner for her Achievements in the Ministry so far, Hon. Nyam Dareng, Chairman, Plateau State House Committee on Tourism amongst others, described the Hon. Commissioner as a pace setter, anchoring on the fact that she has come with a different mindset to change the narrative in the Tourism Industry of Plateau State, which has remained hungry of such a proactive and a gigantic step since its existence. The Hon. Member in his own words *Hon. Commissioner Ma, you have scored another 1st again, First to organize Tourism Conference and First to draft a Policy for the State Tourism Sector, are we expecting first yearly?*. He commended the Hon. Commissioner for Standing out and doing that which is critical to the growth and development of our dear Plateau State.
At the end of the Program, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry/Chairman Tourism Policy Committee Mrs. Martha Azi, thanked all the Stakeholders for finding out time to come and contribute towards the production of a robust Tourism Policy for the State that would accelerate growth in the Tourism Industry of the State.
