UN Tourism official hails Ekiti’s warm welcome, tourism potential

Mr Marcel Leijzer, Manager, Technical Cooperation, United Nations Tourism (UNTourism), on Friday described Nigerians as incredibly welcoming and hospitable.

Leijzer, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after his assessment of various tourism sites in Ekiti State, said Nigerians’ hospitable nature was quite amazing, exciting and capable of attracting tourists.

He said that Nigerians had all it took to create immense wealth from tourism, considering the enormous tourism potential at their disposal.

NAN reports that Mr Marcel Leijzer explored no fewer than 20 tourism sites within Ekiti State, with the intention of designing a comprehensive masterplan to boost tourism in the state.

The UN official, who visited the sites in Ekiti State between Aug. 17 to Aug. 22, listed some of the sites he visited as including Ekiti parapo war museum in Okemesi-Ekiti; Ikogosi warm spring in Ikogosi-Ekiti and Mount Golgotha in Efon-Alaye-Ekiti.

Some other sites visited, he said, included the palm tree with 42 heads in Ilogbo-Ekiti; the first mass centre in Usi-Ekiti and Olosunta sacred rock in Ikere-Ekiti.

Leijzer said other sites are the place of Ogun, the source of Osun-Oshogbo river in Igede-Ekiti; Abanijorin rock in Iyin-Ekiti; Poroye shrine in Ijan-Ekiti; Sacred river with untouchable fishes in Erinjiyan-Ekiti, among several other sites.

According to him, the historical and cultural sites hold interesting and fascinating mysteries.

“My visit to Ekiti was an amazing experience, which revealed that Nigerians are incredibly welcoming, hospitable and friendly. I think being genuinely welcoming to visitors is part of Nigerian culture.

“I have seen beautiful and dramatic rock formations, natural amphitheatre which can be rebranded, fascinating landscapes, mountains, waterfalls, caves, as well as unique and beautiful birds.

“I have been to 55 countries and I have never seen such kind of naturally beautiful tourism attractions.

“I observed that Ekiti has varieties of colourful festivals. I was made to understand that hardly was there a week without the people celebrating one or two festivals, I am really amazed by the enormous tourism assets in the state.

“I have been able to do some hiking, bird and butterfly watching. The sight of the colourful setting of the towns with greenery vegetation, beautiful sands, landscapes and the people welcoming me with smiles spurred some form of joy within me,” he said.

Leijzer, who was visiting Nigeria for the first time, said that, going forward, the visit had informed the United Nations Tourism on the kind of expertise and experience needed to help build the state’s tourism industry.

He said that having assessed those tourism destinations that must be included in the masterplan, international and national experts would be engaged in the entire process of drafting the plan.

According to him, the expertise needed would be in the area of new resource development and quality development.

“Our main focus will be in delivering technical cooperation and capacity building to staff of Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism to enable them work effectively in grooming the industry.

“We will also look into the sustainability aspect and tourism promotion, we will engage our social media platforms to market the state as a choice destination for tourism.

“We are going to provide advice on how the tourism sector can be groomed.

“Let us believe that this will be the beginning of a long lasting collaboration in tourism development with Nigeria.

Speaking on his favourite Nigerian cuisine, Leijzer said his favourite local cuisine was Fufu and pounded yam with any good soup.

“I’m also fascinated by the enormous amount of seafood available everywhere. I really love typical Nigerian breakfasts, very light and nice,” he said.

Also speaking with NAN, Mr Wale Ojo-Lanre, Director-General of Ekiti State Bureau of Tourism, who led the UN team through the tourism destinations, expressed excitement over the great feat achieved to have gained the team’s attention.

He appreciated Gov. Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State for his usual support for the industry, saying it would mark the beginning of lofty developments in the country.