Mr Coker who rubbed minds with tourism professionals, media and stakeholders at the Boat Club, Victoria Island Lagos on Saturday, 8 July, 2017 pointed out “It is high time we understood the particular niche of the Tourism Nigeria. We should strive hard to identify, enhance and promote those things that are indigenous to us. Those unique places, sites and natural wonders that are very particular to Nigeria. The era of aping others in promoting the same tourism effect are gone.’’
He disclosed “Tour Nigeria is a fresh initiative honed to promote historical, political, cultural and scientific tourism in Nigeria. The brand is dovetailed to ensure the creation of awareness among the people about the import of tourism. creating awareness among Nigerians about their tourism assets, letting them know how these assets can be of immense economic benefits to them as an individual and to the nation as a political –economic entity.’’
Mr Coker said “We are initiating a tourism revolution which will be embraced by every conscious Nigerian and which will enable the country to reap its own gain from the global tourism revenue. This brand is our brand of cultural unity, political history and scientific breakthrough. It is not a foreign based brand but a domestically grown and oriented one which Nigerians will be part of and be proud of “
He disclosed that in driving this brand, ‘the brand is predicated on collective endeavours of all the stakeholders in the tourism industry who will be involved in making the brand a household and an international symbol.’’
Mr Coker disclosed “We are domesticating the brand via the intrinsic cultural values , heritage assets , political legacies , natural and manmade sites which dot the landscape of each six –geo political zones in the country commencing with the great move from Abuja, the unity capital City of Nigeria “
He revealed “Nigeria is a paragon of tourism assets comprising political heritage, scientific breakthrough, historical heritages, and ecotourism heavens unbundled cultural and traditional artefacts locked up in these zones and crying for enhancement.”
Mr Coker said “it is our responsibility now to unbundle these tourism wealth first to Nigerians themselves domestically and then to the global fora. We must appreciate what we have and by then we can have the confidence of inviting others.’’
He disclosed “It is a domestic brand. It will be an exhibition of what tourism is in totality, covering all areas of our socio- cultural ways in order to showcase tourism as a domestic industry for global exportation.’
Mr Coker revealed “The brand will also be an exhibition of countless creative expression, appreciation of pristine historical heritage and revitalisation of our worthy cultural values and norms for appreciation “
He mentioned that, places like Aso Rock Villa, Mapo Hall, Epe Prison, where Chief Obafemi Awolowo was imprisoned, Zungeru where the late Nnamdi Azikiwe was raised. Nigeria – Biafra war sites, war Museum, .Slave Trade Museum in Badagry, religious tourism places, and others would be promoted and enhanced for visiting.
Mr Coker called on the media to embrace development journalism which task the practitioners to be more patriotic and altruistic in information dissemination
He said “ Honestly , the media is not only a major stakeholder in making the brand Tour Nigeria a success, but a potent and indispensable partners at ensuring that the brand hit its targets and realised its goals.’’
Mr Coker assures all tourism stakeholders “we are definitely in time of great changes. A new order is here. A fresh brand of domestic tourism, we mean business. It will be not business as usual, but business unusual. Tour Nigeria and be happy.’’
and then