Lagos launches Q4-Lagos to optimise tourism data, capacity, standards

In its determination to structurally and strategically optimise data for better planning of tourism and its allied sectors for future and immediate use, the Lagos State Government has launched the Q4-Lagos initiative.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, who unveiled the initiative in Lagos, said that the initiative was meant to generate statistics of tourism and entertainment events within the state.

According to Akinbile-Yusuf “Q4-Lagos which simply means four quarters comprising of January to March, April to June, July to September and October to December, was developed as a term that will provide an all-round entertainment and fun for Lagosians and visitors to Lagos State.

“This concept emanated from our findings which revealed that the number of visitors and tourists to Lagos State are not captured in statistics.

“With the idea of the Q4, the statistics of tourism and entertainment activities for each of the quarters can now be easily compiled and collated for immediate and future use,” she said.

Akinbile-Yusuf noted that the ministry considered it worrisome that there were no reliable statistics and data on the numbers of visitors or tourists that visit Lagos on yearly basis.

She said the data on tourism contributions to the state’s economy were often not captured as well.

“The need to change this, and have a more holistic data of tourists to Lagos State brought about the conceptualisation of the Q4 Initiative.

“Q-4 is intended to be a yearly event that will help market Lagos in such a way that tourists will always be looking forward to spend their holidays in Lagos.

“Tourism and entertainment activities for the four quarters would have been collated for tourists to plan the quarter of the year they will visit Lagos.

“Tourists and visitors are assured of undiluted fun experiences that will guarantee world-class maximum entertainment and relaxation,” she said.

According to her, the decision of the ministry to promote Q4-LAGOS iniative was inspired by the clarion call “Eko for Show”.

She said this was a callout to the global tourism industry that Lagos is ready to assume its prime position as the choice destination for tourism, hospitality, events and holidays in each of the four quarters of the year.

She noted that the initiative also aligned with the mandate of the ministry to develop and introduce new ideas that would further assist in harnessing the numerous opportunities for the growth of tourism.

“As already enshrined in our Tourism Master Plan, Q4 has been designed with the support of our various tourism stakeholders to achieve the maximum visitor potential for a cosmopolitan Lagos thereby boosting Revenues and Recovery,” she said.

Akinbile-Yusuf noted that the main focus was to use the platform of the initiative to establish Lagos as the prime destination for all season.

She said this would be achieved through a data-driven calendar of activities that would make data of visitors to the state readily available for immediate use and future reference.

She emphasised that the Q-4 intiative was not intended for revenue generation.

“With the launch of this Q4 Initiative, it is now compulsory for all our stakeholders to always keep the ministry informed of all their activities and programmes for the purpose of collating necessary data from these events.

“Although we have been capturing some of these tourism and entertainment events in our annual tourism calendar before now.

“With this new Q4 Initiative, cursory attention will now be paid to this aspect of data collation more than before.

“We hope for voluntary compliance with this new concept, on our own part, we are ready to give you needed assistance including institutional support that will make your events a success.

“While the ministry will not want to follow the path of enforcement and compliance, we will not hesitate to sanction any operator or stakeholder that refuses to cooperate with the ministry in this data collation efforts,” she said.

The commissioner said the initiative would optimise revenue generation opportunities for the state, create and maintain an economic eco-system of owners, operators, promoters, marketers, event organisers and planners including the state ministry of tourism.

Earlier, Mr Ivor Ekpe, who is partnering with the ministry in actualising the Q-4 initiative, said there would be strategic reporting of the initiative on a quarterly basis.

Ekpe advised tourism practitioners to embrace the initiative as it had no financial implications on their path but would rather improve their business overtime.