Lagos State Government at the weekend said it has concluded plans to showcase its tourism potentials in the United Kingdom.
The state’s commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, made the disclosure while receiving the founder and chief executive officer of the London–based BEN TV, Dr Alistair Soyode, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
Ayorinde reiterated the readiness of the state government to publicise “Brand Lagos” as it continues to record successes in infrastructural development, investment drive and promotion of arts and culture.
He said the state would expand on its promotion of its tourism brand next weekend with a three-day programme tagged “Love Lagos Weekend” holding in London.
The commissioner explained that the time is now right to promote the Lagos Brand on the world stage in order to showcase the socio-economic and cultural strengths of the state.
According to him, the state government has in the past one year, undertaken several tourism programmes that have been widely acknowledged, which have put the state on world map, adding that the “Love Lagos Weekend in London’’ is also geared towards selling the state and uniting lovers of Lagos in the Diaspora.
He said the various tourism programmes, are in the realisation of the pledge made by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode during his electioneering campaign to use tourism and the arts to promote social cohesion and create employment opportunities.
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“Other objectives of the Love Lagos Weekend are to create awareness on the new Lagos State administration, provide platform for interaction with Lagos State indigenes and lovers of Lagos State in the Diaspora and further market the state to potential investors and partners that can contribute towards the Lagos@50 celebrations,” he said.
The commissioner congratulated the chief executive Officer of BEN TV for the successes recorded in the past 13 years of operation and for propagating the Nigerian and African culture to global audiences.
Ayorinde stated that the state government is ready to partner with the TV Station in line with its strategic engagement with the media.
He added that while “One Lagos” had successfully been launched as the state’s tourism master brand, the ‘Love Lagos’ concept as the slogan and brand-driver is now being promoted to further endear the state to the world.
Earlier, Soyode had explained that the purpose of his visit was to intimate the Lagos State government on the activities of the station and the establishment of the ‘’Nigerian Diaspora Mentoring Corp’’ aimed at creating a platform to engage Nigerian youths for gainful ventures.He said the Corp has been able to provide a platform to engage professional Diaspora Nigerians to interact with the Nigerian youths for purposeful direction in adjusting to adulthood, noting that private individuals are more available to render such support and give them needed leadership direction.