By Ifeyinwa Ogwo :
Commissioner for Culture, Entertainment and Tourism, Mr. Don Onyenji says that government has plans to develop the hospitality and tourism industry by working towards transforming Agulu lake into a leisure park.
He added that the government will also create rural tourism where every community will have leisure parks and also will be opening up all the heritage sites in the state so as to increase the flows of tourists into the state which will in turn boost the hospitality industry.
The commissioner said this when he received the executive members of the Anambra Hotel Association on a courtesy visit in his office at Awka.
He hinted that Gov. Chukwuma Soludo is making serious efforts to make the state liveable, lovable and a prosperous smart mega city for businesses to thrive and attract foreign investors.
“We are interested in what happens in the hotel industry because for Anambra State to become the hub of tourism, it means that we must maintain standards so that whoever comes into the state will feel comfortable and safe to enjoy our hospitality which consist of the facilities, reception, customer care service and security.
“Very soon, the ministry will embark on inspection of hotels in the state according to the laws, to ensure they operate by the government directives.
“Hotel owners should also be very careful and watchful of the kind of customers who come into their hotels and the kind of activities they intend to organize for any hotel found engaging in illicit activities will be closed down,” he said.
Commissioner Onyenji informed them that Gov. Soludo is flagging off the construction of solid roads around the state to create accessibility and boost every other businesses in the state.
He told them to support the works of the governor by paying their tax and also to come down to the ministry for revalidation of their licenses noting that the ministry is making plans to gather all the profiles of hotels and their locations for easy accessibility to anyone who wants to lodge in them.
“We will also automate our interaction with the hotels in the state to checkmate criminal activities.”
Earlier, the patron of the Anambra Hotel Association and Managing Director of Tracy Hotel, Chief Dim Okafor told the commissioner that their visit is to align with the ministry and support the intentions of the state government for the development of the state.
He noted that they would like to know the plans and objectives of the ministry for them to know how they can fit in and be on the same page with the ministry
“If you have a programme and need us to support it, inform us so that we will discuss it and come to a round table for our members to be informed and you can send the Permanent Secretary and some staff of the ministry to our general meeting for briefing.”
He, then, suggested that the ministry should bring the revalidation forms to their general meeting for their members who have not registered to do so.
In addition, the Managing Director of King David Hotel, Mr. Obiora Obiekwe said that it is good for the ministry and the association to work in harmony especially in decision making, noting that such would be binding and acceptable by all.
