June 6, 2018

The Delta Government, on Wednesday, called on investors to open its huge tourism industry by building world-class resorts and leisure parks in the state.

The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Emmanuel Chinye, made this call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

The commissioner spoke on the sidelines of a three-day United Nations Conference on Tourism Development, which started on Monday in Abuja.

Chinye said that the state government had designed a template to open up the state’s tourism sector for development through a public private partnership (PPP).

The commissioner said the move was part of the state government’s efforts to harness the huge economic potential of the sector, which he described as an “untapped goldmine”.

According to him, the ease of doing business as it concerns the tourism industry in Delta, has also been liberalised.

Chinye, who led the state government delegation to the conference, said the state was at the conference to market its tourism sector to the world.

He added that plans were also afoot to identify and document new and existing tourist locations in the state.

“We have a lot; you must have heard of River Ethiope, believed to be the deepest inland waterway in Africa, which is popular internationally.

“The source of the river is at a place called Umuaja in Delta; we have been able to provide a ranch and some huts at the site.

“Now, we need to provide a chalet with Internet services there, so that people can come in and stay for as long as they want,” the commissioner said.

The Director of Tourism in the ministry, Ms Eseroghene Onokpe, said Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, had been  supporting the efforts to develop the sector.

“The governor has approved memos for tourism staff in the directorate to understudy Lagos State and Cross Rivers, which have gone far in the sector.

“The smart agenda of the Okowa-led administration is geared towards promoting the sector to a revenue generating one,” she said.