World Tourism Day: Osun To Harness Potential In Rural Areas – Adeleke

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State on Wednesday, promised his administration’s readiness to tap into the full potential of tourism in the rural parts of the state.

Adeleke who spoke at this year’s celebration of World Tourism Day held at the palace of Owaloko of Iloko Ijesa, said the move would benefit people living in the rural areas, most especially the women and youths.

The Governor, represented by the Commissioner for Cooperative and Empowerment, Bayo Ogungbangbe, harped on the need to transform greens in the tourism sector to boost competitiveness.

He said, “It is no longer News that Tourism is one of the world’s leading employers. In 2019, the the sector employs one in 10 people worldwide and has proven to be a tool for economic diversification and a major employment engine with a multiplier effect on other sectors that contribute to rural development.

“My administration is posed to earnest the full potential of Tourism in rural areas which can particularly benefit traditionally disadvantaged groups such as women, youth and Indigenous people.

“And in line with this year’s theme – Tourism and Green Investment is apt and in supporting Tourism’s green transition, We all need to ensure that the tourism sector delivers on its responsibilities as a solution to the climate emergency.

“The green transformation of the tourism sector is very much needed, not just for the planet, but also for tourism itself, to boost competitiveness and increasing resilience.

“My dear people of the State, it is time we allow green investments and innovation in the tourism sector plays a leading role in supporting this transformation and the implementation of the green goals of the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs.

“While I welcome everyone to this year’s celebration, I want to seize the opportunity to call on all to consider the need to invest in the Tourism Sector of our economy both as private establishment in as much as the present administration is determined to provide the enabling environment for the green investment to thrive.”

Speaking on this year’s theme, ‘Tourism and Green Investment’, the Director, Institute of Cultural Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Prof Gbenga Fasiku, called on the state government to encourage experts in the state universities to work on how to turn green to revenue for the state.

“Oil is a natural resource but Green is also a natural resource that has not been looked into. I will appeal to our Governor to take time to look at the Green around us, encourage the faculties of Agriculture in our universities to look inward and bring these resources together to make another source of revenue to Osun State,” he advised.

Kazeem Badmus