Gird your loins for ‘Tour Nigeria’, Folorunso Coker tells state governors

The Director General, Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mr Folorunso Folarin Coker has called on all governors in the states of the federation to gird their loins in readiness to reap and tap the hanging fruits of Tour Nigeria brand.

Mr Folorunso Coker  who made this call during a brief interaction with a crop. of bloggers  at Lagos Motor Boat, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos said that ‘ Tour Nigeria brand is specifically honed to stoke the economic sensibility and reality in the mass of the people by elevating their socio – cultural entertainment tourism values into  a beneficial economic ventures”.

He pointed out “It thus behoves the state governors to look inwards , take a socio –cultural- tourism entertainment audit potentialities  of their states , sieve it and pick some which are mass appealling , mass attracting  and create awareness of the import of these and establish a functional portal for dissemination of information , feedback and responses . Then, the beauty starts from there”.

Mr Folorunso Coker revealed ‘Tour Nigeria’ will be driving at the rate that  each  state in the federation will not only feel the vibrations of being blessed with tourism potentialities, but the  citizens will be able to extract the economic benefits which were  hitherto unprocessed.  Locked in the states are social and entertainments  themes which have been celebrated purely for dancing and, merriment  within the localities, but which ‘Tour Nigeria’ will not only enhance, expand, rebrand and globalise with the goal of attracting inter – regional participation and appreciation”.

He pointed out “we are in time of great changes. The focal point of economy has changed from primordial economic fruits as  recent   econometric analysis and realities have located, fashion, food, arts, heritage,  drama, theatre, shows, events, intellectual property, festivals, travel, clubs and clubbing  as the new   fruits of fortunes”

The NTDC boss said ‘You can see, we are not creating a new sites neither are we going to dissipate energy on construction of  multi–million naira gigantic edifices  in these states . No, we are going to concentrate our  energy on enhancing  and adding values to  those things which are social assets but which we have  ignored out of sheer carelessness and which are being tapped in other climes to keep the economic pulse in top gear”.

He reiterated  ‘Tour Nigeria’ is a brand that sets to unlock  the hidden fortunes in the social, entertainment, fashion, arts, foods, sites, carnivals   in each state. The governors are not only the arrow heads, but the pilots of this process while we at NTDC are facilitators  bound to ensure the mobilisation  of the process for national positivity”.