By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Oyo State Government on Tuesday said that activities marking the 2017 World Tourism Day will come up on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 with mountaineering at the Ado Awaye suspended lake which is one of the two lakes on the hill in the World.
The government said the climax of the one day activities is the mountaineering of the 246 steps Ado Awaye hill at Ado Awaye suspended lake, Iseyin.
The State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism Mr Toye Arulogun said that Stakeholders in the Tourism industries, media and general public are expected to be part of the tourism adventure which is being used to mark the 2017 World Tourism Day with the theme: Sustainable Tourism, A Tool for Development.
He stated that the highlights of the one-day event will include a trip to Ado -Awaye lake, performance by Oyo State Cultural Troupe, picnicking, music, comedy and prizes for the top 3 climbers.
Mr Arulogun noted that participants at the mountaineering will discuss how tourism can be used for sustainable development, stressing that tourism is a viable alternative to oil and other sources of revenue generation in the country.
The Commissioner urged all stakeholders in the tourism industry to partner with the state government in order to make the sector a catalyst for positive change.
Mr Arulogun said “We need to make our tourism sites attractive for the people and that is the why we have decided to promote our domestic tourism. We need to keep our currency in the country. Our philosophy is to identify, package and promote our tourist attractions.”
Aduragbemi Omiyale