Ekiti to unlock tourism latent across cultural festivals

KEYPOINTS

The Chairman of Ekiti East Regional Government, Oluwasegun Ojo, said the revival of the Epa Festival was driven partly by the desire of residents and young humans to reconnect alongside their cultural heritage, The festival was endure celebrated in 1982 prior to being revived in 2022, Ojo said organisers now prefer to travel beyond plainly celebrating the culture and change the seven-day festival into a large tourism attraction skilled of generating economic phase in Omuo-Ekiti.

He said official registration would deliver festivals using preferable alignment, consultancy and legal recognition during the time that helping organisers sustain peace and sequence during large events, The government furthermore believes that winning festivals can occupy tourists and produce firm opportunities for humans across distinct sectors of the nearby economy, Ojo-Lanre pointed to a modern cultural event in Ado-Ekiti that attracted additional than 3,000 visitors as an case of the economic possibilities that could come from properly promoted festivals.

The primary topic is how Ekiti can alter its cultural heritage into sustainable tourism and economic measure, The condition government believes that increased tourist traffic could generate additional firm for hotels, transport operators, filling stations, event centres, food vendors, approach designers and other solution providers.

Ojo-Lanre moreover highlighted government investments and policies aimed at supporting tourism, including the completion of the Ekiti Condition International Cargo Airport, tourism policies, a tourism development master outline, improved security and infrastructure, and the establishment of the Bureau of Tourism Development.

THE ISSUES

He said hotels were fully booked during the earlier edition and that organisers were operating to attract to Omuo-Ekiti indigenes living abroad. A committee has reportedly been founded in the Americas to coordinate diaspora participation, Standard chiefs in Omuo-Ekiti furthermore welcomed the festival’s suitable registration, saying declare recognition could supply it increased visibility and institutional support.

WHAT’S BEING SAID

Ekiti Situation is positioning its cultural festivals as potential drivers of tourism and economic growth, By formally registering festivals and improving their organisation, visibility and infrastructure, the government hopes to draw further visitors and produce opportunities for community businesses, The revival and registration of the Epa Festival could assist as an illustration of how audience traditions can be transformed into recognised tourism attractions although preserving cultural heritage.

The airport, he said, has helped perfect connection to the status and could spark extra visitors to commute to Ekiti, Another topic is the require for personal-sector participation. The government says it can provide legislation, infrastructure, security and policy instruction, but individual investors will be necessary in turning tourism opportunities into commercially prosperous ventures.

BOTTOM LINE

Ojo-Lanre said the registration of cultural festivals would facilitate the government and communities to task together to create festivals into large tourism events, He said the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji understands the economic value of tourism and has increasingly focused on festivals, carnivals and cultural events able of attracting visitors.