Benue govt. to reposition tourism

Mr Sekav Iyortyom, Benue State, Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism.

Benue Government says it is repositioning the tourism sector in the state to boost its revenue base.

The state Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Mr Sekav Iyortyom, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Makurdi.

He regretted that the huge tourist potentials of the state were yet to be developed.

“At the moment, the state government is losing several millions from its untapped tourist attractions.”

Iyortyom said the present administration was collaborating with several organizations including private investors to develop its tourist sites across the state.

He said some of the sites include; Ikyogen, Ikwe Wide Life Park, Makurdi Beach project, and the Christian Pilgrims site at Aorkpe.

He said when fully developed, the state would generate billions of Naira from the sites.

The commissioner said the state government was also partnering with National Tourist Development Commission (NTDC) and the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHT) to develop tourism in the state.

He said the development of tourism would aid the diversification of the economy.

He said there were lots of opportunities in tourism, ” the value chain in the sector can cater for all in the country; it brings out the different dimensions of the society”.

According to him, smaller countries than Nigeria were generating huge revenues from tourism to boost their national incomes adding that Benue would soon begin to reap from its efforts in boosting the sector.

The commissioner said the theme for this year’s World Tourism Day ” Tourism for All, Promoting Universal Accessibility” was apt, stressing that the sector was open for all.