The Akwa Ibom State Deputy Governor Mrs. Akon Etim Eyakenyi,   has said the state government is consciously working to develop the state into a world class tourist destination capable of attracting inbound tourists from all over the world. The deputy governor said it while receiving members of the governing council of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN). She said the end goal of turning the state in a world-class destination informed the huge investment of the Governor Eno Umoh administration is making in the tourism sector. This involves building world-class destination like the ARISE Park that is almost completed and developing other tourism assets of the state.

Mrs. Eyakenyi said: “You made no mistake for bringing your meeting to Akwa Ibom. There is no week that we don’t have one group or the other coming to have meeting here for obvious reasons.

“I want to say that a great percentage of what Pastor Umo Eno has achieved in Akwa Ibom State are things that project Akwa Ibom to Nigeria, and to the world.

“Other than that, tourism boosts the economy of the state and the nation. And how do we get this to be done? It is when we invest in tourism sites that would attract people to come. There is no way a group of people would come into Akwa Ibom State that they would not buy fish, that they would not go to the raffia city to pick raffia and other things like that.”

The deputy governor also called on investors in the tourism industry to come and partner with the state for the development of such tourism sites like the slave trade heritage site in Ikot Abasi, the Point of No Return in Oron, and other sites in the state.

Speaking on the 70-hectares ARISE Park still under construction, Mrs. Eyakenyi said: “We have the ARISE Park, though not yet completed but in the next month it will be ready for the president of the country to commission.

“There is no such place in Nigeria; we have a nine-hole golf course, apartments, section for the children, and other leisure facilities. It is a total package in a secured environment.

“The International Conference Centre (ICC 5, 000 seating capacity) she said will be ready before the end of the administration’s first term.”

The President of the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) the umbrella body for private sector tourism operators in  in Nigeria, Mr. Nkereuwen Onung,  commended the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno for the huge investment that his government has made in tourism development and promotion through his ARISE Agenda.

Onung, who is also the Honourary Special Adviser to the Governor on Culture and Tourism, said, ‘‘I count it a privilege that we are here to appreciate what the state has done, first of all in tourism, and the huge infrastructure. Now, this is what drove FTAN Governing Council to Uyo.’’

He said  funding has been a major constrain to tourism development in Nigeria, he, however, noted that  it was a welcome development to see, against all odds and the norms, that Governor Eno has gone to great extent  to invest huge in tourism development.

 ‘‘We have witnessed tremendous investments. The main problem of tourism in Nigeria your Excellency is funding.  We find a state that has committed vast resources in building infrastructure and promoting tourism,’’ he disclosed.

He also applauded the Deputy Governor for her effort in tourism development when she once served as Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in the State, noting that her combination with the Governor, Pastor Eno, has bode well for the State tourism given the level of development under two years.

He continued: ‘‘we promise to continue to promote the state so that the vision of the Governor for tourism in Akwa Ibom State will be realized. Your Excellency, we are no longer that State that they used to say is the best kept secret, but today, Akwa Ibom State is no more the best kept secret but it is the new face of tourism in Africa.”