Oyo State Government will host a two-day international tourism summit between April 17 and 18, 2024 to showcase its tourism endowments to the world.
The event is expected to have in attendance representatives of embassies, leading lights in tourism, financial institutions as well as members of the international community.
As stated in a release by the Special Adviser (Media) to Governor ‘Seyi Makinde, Sulaimon Olanrewaju, the summit is also meant to attract investors who will develop the state’s tourist sites to international standards.
Governor Makinde, who is the host of the summit, “has repeatedly expressed the intention of his administration to make tourism a major economic pillar in the state.
“To this end, he carved out the Ministry of Culture and Tourism from the Ministry of Information through an executive order last year,” it was stated in the release.
The international tourism summit is billed to hold at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.
To midwife the summit, the state government has constituted a seven-man committee, headed by the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatubosun.
Other members of the committee include Hon Akinola Ojo, Commissioner for Finance; Dr Debo Akande, Executive Adviser to the Governor on International Relations; Dr Morounkola Thomas, Special Adviser, Socio-Economic Development.
Others are Mr Tilewa Folami, Director General, Oyo State Investment and Public-Private Partnership Agency (OYSIPA); Mr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Special Adviser (Media) and Ms Abigail Anaba, Head of Content Marketing, Slvr Wlf.
It was disclosed in the release that the committee on the international tourism summit has since commenced operation.