Enugu Govt, Hotel Owners Partner To Make Enugu Major Hub Of Tourism
The Enugu State Government and Hotel Owners Association have partnered to make the state the major hub of tourism in the country and West Africa sub-region.
The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Gov. Peter Mbah on Tourism, Chief Steve Odo, said this on Tuesday in Enugu when he paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Hotel Owners Association, Chief Dr. Johnson Ugwoke and his Vice, Sir Jeff Uke.
Odo said that he was mandated by His Excellency, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, to engage with private tourism stakeholders to further promote and develop the tourism industry in the state.
According to him, His Excellency has an ambitious and focused vision of making Enugu the foremost competitive tourism destination and major tourism hub within the country and West Africa sub-region.
He said that the government had put in place robust security arrangement and investments, built first-class five-star hotels, internationally and nationally patronised conferencing centre, returned night life and good network of roads for movement as well.
“We have to come to partner, collaborate and cooperate with the Hotel Owners Association as the “engine room” of tourism to make Enugu the tourism hub East of the Niger and by extension the entire country and West Africa sub-region,” he said.
Responding, Ugwoke expressed joy over the performance of the Gov. Mbah especially in security, hospitality and tourism sectors.
He specifically mentioned the International Conference Centre (ICC), and the Hotel Presidential, Enugu as a miraculous achievements within two years in office.
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The chairman also commended the governor for bringing Monday-Sit-At-Home to an end and for introducing the Consolidated Revenue Payment Method.
He described Enugu State as the most secured state in the South-East and country; this, making Enugu safe for tourists and bringing more revenue to hotels and eateries.
Ugwoke, however, expressed resentment over what he described as ‘double taxation’, adding : “I strongly believe it will be resolved through dialogue with the tourism-friendly governor, His Excellency, Dr. Peter Ndubisi Mbah.”
“The governor has done so much for us by providing an enabling environment for sustainable tourism practice in the state and we are going to reciprocate his good gestures towards our association.
“We also appeal that you, the SSA to the Governor on Tourism, should be a bridge between us and the governor.
“The association is ensuring the governor of its absolute loyalty and cooperation as he rolls out more visionary tourism impactful projects, which will continue to make Enugu the foremost and irresistible destination for tourists always,” he added.